proverbial
adjective
pro·ver·bi·al
prə-ˈvər-bē-əl 
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb
2
: that has become a proverb or byword : commonly spoken of
the proverbial smoking gun
Examples of proverbial in a Sentence
Insanity roamed through her large midwestern tribe, cloistered in proverbial dark closets in gabled houses in areas of the country where no one else lived for miles and miles …
—
Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
I keep running across people who speak fondly about what they imagine to be the comforts of autocracy, who long for the assurances of the proverbial man on the white horse likely to do something hard and puritanical about the moral relativism that has made a mess of the cities, the schools, and prime-time television.
—Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, November 1990
Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
I keep running across people who speak fondly about what they imagine to be the comforts of autocracy, who long for the assurances of the proverbial man on the white horse likely to do something hard and puritanical about the moral relativism that has made a mess of the cities, the schools, and prime-time television.
—Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, November 1990
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, like the proverbial phoenix, Akashi’s show will go on, recontextualized to meet the moment.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2025
So strike while the proverbial iron is hot so those fragrance molecules can nestle in.
Consider other scented products: If your go-to scent is also available as a body wash, lotion, bar soap, or even laundry detergent, incorporate those products into your routine.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2025
Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm were the toast of the proverbial college basketball town this past week.
—Jim Root, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
All of it makes Trump the proverbial main character.
—Brian Stelter, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for proverbial 
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The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2025
So strike while the proverbial iron is hot so those fragrance molecules can nestle in.
Consider other scented products: If your go-to scent is also available as a body wash, lotion, bar soap, or even laundry detergent, incorporate those products into your routine.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2025
Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm were the toast of the proverbial college basketball town this past week.
—Jim Root, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
All of it makes Trump the proverbial main character.
—Brian Stelter, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for proverbial
Dictionary Entries Near proverbial
Cite this Entry
“Proverbial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proverbial. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
proverbial
adjective
pro·ver·bi·al
prə-ˈvər-bē-əl
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb
proverbial wisdom
2
: commonly spoken of
the proverbial beginner's luck
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