as in dialect
a word or phrase that is used mostly in informal speech; a colloquial expression
His English is very good, but he has trouble understanding certain colloquialisms.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquialism
There is even a colloquialism for those who curry favor among the moneyed on the island of Palm Beach.
—
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
It’s been a year of chaos and colloquialisms, as the internet shaped not only our vocabulary but our entire political system.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
And, like any colloquialism popularized by an internet trend, celebs, brands and even the president himself cashed in on the sensation.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!
—Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
It’s been a year of chaos and colloquialisms, as the internet shaped not only our vocabulary but our entire political system.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
And, like any colloquialism popularized by an internet trend, celebs, brands and even the president himself cashed in on the sensation.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!
—Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialism
Noun
-
There’s no universal language—only tribal dialects.—
Shekar Natarajan,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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Because the characters are speaking a very distinctive local dialect, and that’s, of course, completely lost in translation.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2025
Noun
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While the terminology might not be scientific, there’s ample research that lends support to the idea as a whole.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
-
Working on a film or television set is no different, in fact, often the most experienced players in these environments are recognized by their use of such terminology.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
17 May 2025
Noun
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With technical innovation and a brand defining visual language that dates back 102 years, TIME Studios aims to impact communities and the world at large with ideas that forge true progress.—
TIME PR,
Time,
27 May 2025
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This platform uses rigorous standardization protocols, like OMB guidelines for demographics and ISO codes for language, ensuring consistency.—
Raghvendra Tripathi,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Powered by nine proprietary learning methods, the platform integrates real-time cultural signals - from memes and slang to idioms and ancient lore.—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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But the nature of all idioms is that their meaning cannot be deduced from their components; the phrase kicked the bucket does not put the English speaker in the mind of an actual bucket, just as the word death does not remind him terribly of the letter D.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Who wants their grandchildren to emulate such limited vocabulary, negative language and divisive rhetoric?—
Christine Ledbetter,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
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Fans of Harry Potter books, films will likely recognize the setting, vocabulary, characters at Epic Universe.—
Samantha Neely,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Look into the slang and jargon your kids are using — a few of them can be linked to specific online spaces, or even to certain ideologies.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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The linguistic features of Gen Alpha slang are heavily shaped by digital culture.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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