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[This is a principle that theories to explain why something occurred should not be multiplied unnecessarily, meaning that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex. It is named after English Franciscan friar William of Ockham (c. 1287–1347).  It is sometimes used in an adjectival sense “an Occam’s razor explanation”) as in the examples given here.)

A recent Gallup poll found that 56% of Americans say that they are better off than they were four years ago. … Yet Mr. Trump has never had an approval rating higher than 50% in four years.  The Occam’s razor explanation is that most people like Mr. Trump’s policy results but dislike the way he has conducted his Presidency. (Author not given, “The Trump Referendum,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/1/2020.)

Less than two weeks ago, my husband dropped a bomb—he says that he is no longer attracted to me and feels that we don’t have much in common anymore. What can I do about this? [Answer:] The obvious Occam’s razor explanation is worth considering: Husband is cheating. (Author not given, “Husband No Longer Attracted,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 04/20/2017.)

When used in the above context as a noun, Occam’s razor can …

[The fallacy of composition arises when one infers that something is true of the whole from the fact that it is true of some part of the whole.] Yes, Trump and the Republican cheerleading section online and on cable news and talk radio harped on every extreme proposal [of the Democrats]. But this wasn’t just a function of the fallacy of composition, where one loony activist says something off the wall and the GOP amplifies it far beyond reason in order to tar the opposition unfairly. (Damon Linker, “The Left Got Crushed,” The Week, 11/04/2020.)

This word can also be synonymous with generalization and oversimplification when used as described above.

[Note: We also seek to use the best and most recent examples of words and phrases which most clearly show their use.  To the extent these ever involve politics, as is sometimes the case, the passages used are not intended and any explicit or implicit reference to our political views.]…

There is a floating island of trash in the North Pacific as big as the country of France. … Environmental activists have banded together and petitioned the United Nations to recognize the island as an actual country [called] the Trash Isles. .   Trash Islanders [would be] the demonym for citizens of the Trash Isles. (Erik Deckers, “Can a Floating Island of Trash Become a Country?.” The Times-Post (Pendleton, Indiana), 9/28/2017.)

demonym can also be a synonym for the name used to describe the dweller, occupant, or native of a particular place.…

[This is usually used in the phrase “rarer than hen’s teeth” or, when something is in very short supply, “scarcer than hen’s teeth.”  Even though hens actually have no teeth (hence the expression), the phrase nevertheless typically refers to something that is very rare, but not impossible to occur.] As it turned out, the twins were neither fraternal nor identical. They fell into a third rare category known as semi-identical or sesquizygotic twins. The pair share 100 percent of their mother’s DNA, but only overlap in a portion of their father’s DNA. “Broadly they are about three-fourths identical,” said Dr. Fisk, adding that “it’s almost as rare as hen’s teeth.” (Heather Murphy, “Congratulations. It’s Twins. The Doctor is Perplexed,” The New York Times, 3/8/2019.)

hen’s teeth may also be used as a synonym for anything which is very unusual, uncommon, scarce, unique or infrequent.…

Guided by history, the framers [of the Constitution] made a deliberate and wise choice to cabin … the power of impeachment. (Ken Starr speaking, https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/trump-impeachment-lawyer-defense-argument-transcripts-monday-january/27/ken-starr-purpura-raskincabin

cabin (as in confine, within limits or spaces) may also be a synonym for limit, restrict, or curb…