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"
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2
as in classic
the most perfect type or example
nationally, Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive has become a byword for luxury retailing
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of byword
Abaaoud grew up in Molenbeek, the Brussels ghetto that has become a byword for poverty, unemployment, and radical Islamism.
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Kenan Malik, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2015
The Orient Express has been a byword for opulent travel since the 19th century.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Known as the Pullman lounges (the American industrialist’s name had, by that point, become a byword for luxury train travel), Wagons-Lits’ new car was introduced on various daytime services.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
While the Cayman Islands and Switzerland have long been bywords for stashing money away from the U.S. government, the Cook Islands Trust is the true gold standard in wealth protection, experts say.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for byword 
Kenan Malik, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2015
The Orient Express has been a byword for opulent travel since the 19th century.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Known as the Pullman lounges (the American industrialist’s name had, by that point, become a byword for luxury train travel), Wagons-Lits’ new car was introduced on various daytime services.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
While the Cayman Islands and Switzerland have long been bywords for stashing money away from the U.S. government, the Cook Islands Trust is the true gold standard in wealth protection, experts say.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for byword
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byword
Noun
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To paraphrase an old proverb, the best time to connect the fights for trans and reproductive rights was decades ago.Colleen Hamilton, Them, 4 Dec. 2024
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This brings up the proverb of wanting to have your cake and eat it too.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Playwright, novelist, actor and director Gunn’s cult-horror fever dream classic proved a sensation at Cannes in 1973.Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
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Meanwhile, the Christmas classics are creeping back into the mix as the holidays approach.Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Corcoran delivered his final words before taking his last breath.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
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As households witnessed their utility bills drop—sometimes by nearly 90% according to Miller—word spread that the people going door to door were here to help.Marina Lopes, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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People can develop mental health problems and physical manifestations such as headaches, back pain, abdominal cramping, heart palpitations and trouble concentrating.Katia Hetter, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
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Manifest your best life on Dec. 12, a time that is likely to kickstart new beginnings Comments The magical 12/12 portal on Dec. 12 is a key time for manifestation.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What Team Northeast's saying: Philly's too hard-edge to be anything but Northeast.Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 11 Dec. 2024
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There’s a saying that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Under Biggest Threats of Extreme Fire Celebrity Homes Under 'Significant Threat' From Malibu Franklin Fire Pepperdine has historically used the shelter-in-place model, according to Gash.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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The idea is that adding more computing power and more data guarantees better models to an infinite degree.Deirdre Bosa,Jasmine Wu, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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That’s the motto, at least, for scores of DIYers who modify their homes again and again for the sake of personalization.Madeline Bilis, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024
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Boasting an enviable black book of exclusive VIP experiences and relationships with some of the world’s finest guides, UTC lives by its motto, Why do Ordinary.Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The costumes by Colleen Atwood are predictably terrific, but this Alice is otherwise an eyesore, the apotheosis of Burton’s whimsical/magical shtick.Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
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While there have been notable boxing films after Raging Bull (Ali, The Fighter, Creed), and with all respect to Sylvester Stallone and Apollo vs. Rocky, the final battle between Jake and Sugar Ray possibly reflects the apotheosis of the genre.Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Byword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byword. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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