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mantra

mantra

97 6.1
A short repeated phrase used to calm or motivate you
  • noun
  • /ˈmæntrə/
: mantra
  • Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I repeat my favorite mantra to stay focused.
  • repeat the mantra
  • mantra meditation
  • become a mantra

I mean, we hear the the, the mantra of testing, testing, testing.

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Examples

  • And she developed a mantra to help her with her stage fright.

  • In his second inaugural address, Nixon repeated his mantra for a "lasting peace."

    Academic text (2005)
  • And I just kept that mantra in my head through it all.

  • This is the central mantra of my life.

  • By the way, the mantra I use is I am lucky.

  • It's sort of become my mantra these past few days.

  • I like having a mantra, a theme for the year.

  • The encouraging mantra is this: half the job of democracy is just showing up.

    Academic text (2004)
  • We had as our mantra, constitutional policing.

  • Think Taco Bell's been living by that mantra for years now.

How Repetitive

mantra
97 6.1
chant
34 3.9
slogan
177 2.5
motto
136 3.0
saying
216 1.7

Surface Forms

mantra singular
mantras plural

Etymology

Mantra comes from Sanskrit where man- means 'mind' or 'to think' and -tra means 'tool' or 'instrument', so a mantra is like a 'tool for the mind'. That's why people repeat a mantra to focus in meditation or to motivate themselves.