SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
mantra
noun
A word or phrase repeated frequently as a guiding idea; also a sacred utterance in some traditions.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Frequently repeated guiding phrase
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topFigurative mantra is a repeatedly used guiding phrase; the sacred utterance meaning belongs to particular religious traditions.
Sacred utterance
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topThis sense belongs to particular religious traditions. Invocation emphasizes an appeal to a divine power, while chant describes a repeated vocal form; neither is an exact name for every mantra.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See mantra in use
Revise before you submit became the workshop's mantra.
The builders' mantra was 'Make it useful, make it last,' a phrase they repeated whenever an attractive idea threatened to displace an essential practical task.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license