proverbial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In undertaking this role, one of the most challenging and revered in 20th-century theater, he willfully—and rewardingly—hides that blazing light under a proverbial bushel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

I like the idea that he was still a schoolboy wearing his shorts and his sandals, although I think that's ripping the proverbial out of it.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Though fluent in academic lingo, his verse was approachable, written with students and the public in mind and indicative of someone who always made sure to not stay stuck in the proverbial ivory tower.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

Next to all that, a rocky relationship styled into an on-and-off situationship for a reality TV subplot is the proverbial hill of beans Rick Blaine mentioned in “Casablanca.”

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

The same can be said of the novel after the best-seller, the album that follows the gold record, or the proverbial sophomore jinx.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos