1
as in vernacular
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
the new coworker's rudeness soon began—to use a colloquial expression—to rub me the wrong way
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conversational
having the style and content of everyday conversation
a colloquial essay on what makes a marriage successful
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in colloquialism
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Cristina Mutchler, Health, 6 Oct. 2024
Some of those species can turn up in bouillabaisse, added to the soup as an ingredient with the colloquial name of gurnard.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024
In New York City, where people move very quickly, there’s a colloquial expression that timing is everything.
—Gary Stern, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
As for the language, the filmmaker has always used a formal form of Spanish, not colloquial, not naturalistic.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colloquial 
Adjective
The term shart is a colloquial reference for a wet fart, or when watery stool accidentally slips out while passing gas.
—Cristina Mutchler, Health, 6 Oct. 2024
Some of those species can turn up in bouillabaisse, added to the soup as an ingredient with the colloquial name of gurnard.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024
In New York City, where people move very quickly, there’s a colloquial expression that timing is everything.
—Gary Stern, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
As for the language, the filmmaker has always used a formal form of Spanish, not colloquial, not naturalistic.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
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But in the past decade, Chinese auto designs have developed their own, more worldly design vernacular, says Brenden Donnelly, who worked in design and brand management at the Chinese automakers Geely and Lynk & Co before founding his own startup.Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 12 Dec. 2024
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But Jake Xerxes Fussell’s music, which draws heavily from nineteenth- and twentieth-century vernacular folk songs and archival field recordings, is idiomatic, and entirely his own.Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
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The fine line between being relatable to your audience and appearing unprofessional by going against consumer preferences to formality by using slang, colloquialisms, or informalities can potentially damage brand growth with both new and existing consumers.Gary Drenik, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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One notable trend is the rise of authentic, informal leadership communication.Feon Ang, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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The military activity occurred over 24 hours from Saturday to Sunday morning, with six aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait's median line, an informal boundary between the two sides.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The familiar problems with interceptions, lack of discipline and missed kicks keep popping up.Zac Jackson, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
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The mix of talking heads and underwater footage (Jeff Louis Peterman’s beckoning cinematography) as well as the occasionally hyped opining about the potential for disaster or triumph delivers the familiar beats of the genre.Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The versatile, always-all-in Mars is a worthy lodestar for Rosé and Rosie, an album that whirls through 21st-century pop idioms with aplomb even as its heroine ruminates on heartache and anxiety.Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024
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Perhaps that’s why his debut album as Chanel Beads is filled with self-help idioms and reflections on internal conflicts.Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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And where better to start than at a casual event filled with diverse people in a relaxed setting?Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
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These low-heeled platform ankle boots start at $40 and are just the thing for casual sightseeing days followed by dancing the night away.Brittany VanDerBill, Travel + Leisure, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Think of the faster speed of sending over data, or higher bandwidth in chips parlance, as a highway.Wayne Chang, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
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There isn’t a proper app store or any app icons to manage That will hopefully force developers to make apps (or, in Alexa's parlance, skills) that feel native to this device.Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The Witch Hazel introduced in those shorts is a good-natured, gossipy witch who takes pride in her child-cooking and potion-brewing skills.Katie Rife, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2024
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And the film is a study in the community, all the little relationships and the gossipy back-biting things that are happening, the young people having their first love affairs and flirtations and attractions.Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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