byword

noun

ˈbī-ˌwərd How to pronounce byword (audio)
Definition of bywordnext
1
as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience Mom's favorite byword is "You can get more flies with honey than with vinegar"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in classic
the most perfect type or example nationally, Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive has become a byword for luxury retailing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of byword However, Fleet Street’s legacy lives on, as a byword for the United Kingdom s national newspapers. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Apr. 2026 Leeds United versus Chelsea in the 1970 FA Cup final’s replay stands as a byword for brutality. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 And there’s working with people who are not exactly palatable, but who have significant sway in the region—like Dan Gertler, a billionaire Israeli businessman whose name has long been a byword for shady deals in Congo. — Nicolas Niarchos, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026 With her gutsy disposition and ice-blond braids, the Mother of Dragons became a byword for female empowerment, not to mention a costume party staple (both Madonna and Khloe Kardashian have donned the Daenerys getup). — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for byword
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byword
  1. proverb
  2. classic
  3. word
  4. manifestation
  5. saying
  6. model
  7. motto
  8. apotheosis
Noun
  • The reason can be explained by a Japanese proverb about the importance of leaving no mess.
    — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
  • Popeye the Sailor Man has been guzzling spinach since 1931 to build muscle, while the apple-a-day advice derives from a 19th-century Welsh proverb.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 5 May 2026
Definition of proverb
Noun
  • The first two movies established themselves as genre classics, combining heart-stopping action with futuristic sci-fi that explored the threat of AI bringing about an apocalypse.
    — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 July 2026
  • Today, Culinary Hill has grown into a site that’s 1,379 recipes strong, including classics such as sloppy joes and slow cooker meatballs with grape jelly sauce.
    — Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of classic
Noun
  • When word spread that Swift attended Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley's 2023 wedding on the New Jersey shore, hundreds of fans and photographers descended on the quiet beach community.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Review a bill, then send a polite message that clarifies terms, because simple words protect value and invite respectful responses.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026
Definition of word
Noun
  • Your question is a manifestation of handwringing, and so, yeah, a lot of people don’t pay attention to it, and that’s okay, and a lot of people do, and that’s better.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 July 2026
  • Meta’s compute business is also the latest manifestation of the circular economy in the AI race, like SpaceX’s recent decision to rent out data center space to Anthropic.
    — Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of manifestation
Noun
  • One popular saying suggests a knot tied on a rainy day is harder to untie.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • But your abhorrence of the outcomes of particular elections doesn’t justify your saying, Well, the hell with that.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of saying
Noun
  • Open-source and open-weight models make different parts of an AI model available for developers to inspect, use and sometimes modify.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Unlike some folding bikes – including popular models from Brompton and Birdy – which come with small 16-inch wheels, the Tetra gets 20-inchers for greater comfort over a variety of road surfaces.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 July 2026
Definition of model
Noun
  • This is where Barca’s famous mes que un club (more than a club) motto comes in, coined by former club president Narcis de Carreras during his 1968 inauguration speech.
    — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • The motto described something that already existed.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 June 2026
Definition of motto
Noun
  • Lost Lantern’s passion for sourcing whiskey from every corner of this great land of ours has reached its apotheosis with its tribute to America on its 250th birthday, The United States Of Bourbon.
    — Tony Sachs, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • This latter-day diner is true to the genre, down to its Formica, chrome and gum-cracking soul, with breakfast understood as the apotheosis of the day and the almost supernaturally fluffy pancakes, anointed in syrup and salted honey-maple butter, available until closing time.
    — Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Definition of apotheosis

Browse Nearby Words

byways
byword
bywords
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Byword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byword. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on byword

Nglish: Translation of byword for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All