Master confusing words with ease
Adage vs. Axiom
Adage
/ˈædɪdʒ/Examples:
He often quoted the adage, "Honesty is the best policy.Her grandmother's favorite adage was, "A stitch in time saves nine.Understanding the adage, 'Actions speak louder than words,' can guide conduct.
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This word has no antonymsAxiom
Examples:
Honesty is often considered a vital axiom in leadership.The axiom of conservation of energy governs physical changes.Mathematics relies heavily on fundamental axioms.
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Ways to tell them apart:
- An adage is a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth, whereas an axiom is a statement or proposition regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true.
- Adages are often traditional sayings passed down through generations, while axioms are typically used in mathematics, logic, or philosophy as foundational principles.
- Think of adages as accumulated wisdom from society, whereas axioms are fundamental truths that don't require proof.
- Adages are cliché yet insightful, with cultural origins, whereas axioms hold universal truth status, often in academic or scientific contexts.
- You might use an adage to make a point in everyday conversation, but an axiom might be used to underpin logic or theory in a formal discourse.
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