truism
a self-evident, obvious truth.
Origin of truism
1confusables note For truism
Note, however, that truism is used in a technical sense in mathematics or philosophy for restating something that is already known from its terms or premises. Examples of such truisms include: “Men are not women” and “Since the circumference of a circle equals twice the radius multiplied by π (2π r ), it equals the diameter multiplied by π (π d ).”
Other words for truism
Other words from truism
- tru·is·tic, tru·is·ti·cal, adjective
Words that may be confused with truism
- truism , truth (see confusables note at the current entry)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use truism in a sentence
A truism among epidemiologists is that herd immunity from a more transmissible virus requires a higher percentage of immunized people.
Coronavirus mutations add urgency to vaccination effort as experts warn of long battle ahead | Joel Achenbach, Ariana Eunjung Cha | January 30, 2021 | Washington PostBut this sense is as truistic as that of the not dissimilar saying that every event has a cause.
Human Nature and Conduct | John DeweyThe fallacy consists in transforming the (truistic) fact of acting as a self into the fiction of acting always for self.
Human Nature and Conduct | John DeweyMeaning exists for some self, but this truistic fact doesn't fix the quality of any particular meaning.
Human Nature and Conduct | John Dewey
British Dictionary definitions for truism
/ (ˈtruːɪzəm) /
an obvious truth; platitude
Origin of truism
1Derived forms of truism
- truistic, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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