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.
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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
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To prepare, Reid worked with a dialect coach and learned the specific physicality associated with Natalia's condition.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
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The interview was conducted in a mixture of English and Low German, a dialect widely spoken within the Christian Mennonite community.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Actors had to wear about 50 pounds of tactical gear during shoots, carry each other for two miles on stretchers and master radio etiquette, weapons handling, and military terminology.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
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Through their own initiatives, these activists have secured equal pay for Paralympic athletes and changed discriminatory terminology in Major League Baseball.—
Jay Ruderman,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As a result of the talks, Sainz will not be reported to the stewards, meaning there will be no action taken against him over his language as there was against both Verstappen and Leclerc.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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This ideological clash over language reflects broader political divisions.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ultimately, Andrews and his actors find Chekhov by abandoning the paraphernalia of the writer’s universe and groping, in their own idiom, across a perilously empty stage, toward one another.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
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Which is fitting for a composer who, even when developing a homegrown idiom of his own, was criticized for sounding too European.—
Joshua Barone,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The examples are countless, and, behind the expansion of vocabulary, there is always a foundation that is likely forgotten or plainly unknown by people who adopt it via popular culture.—
Lawrence Burney,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
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For those of us old enough to remember Martin (or caught up through reruns), that phrase is etched into our pop culture vocabulary.—
Angel Diaz,
Billboard,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Their motto is gambler’s slang for risking it all in one effort to win big.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2025
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Robert De Niro’s daughter poked fun at the actor for struggling to keep up with teen slang.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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