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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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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Morris has some predictions, both for the fate of the Nashville accent and the southern dialect zone as a whole.—
Austin Hornbostel,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 Aug. 2025
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Species names and sales terms vary across regions, with sellers often using local dialects, slang, or even misspellings to avoid detection.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Here's the core issue: Healthcare has developed its own complex systems and terminology that AI wasn't designed to handle.—
Dhanya Shah,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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At North Carolina, Belichick’s goal is to run a system that mirrors the pros in everything from training to nutrition to terminology without overloading players.—
Matt Baker,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The site is available in 24 languages and offers 35 local currencies, Trip.com says.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Martel traces the parallels to Spain’s colonization of Argentina in the 16th century, where Spaniards imposed their language and customs onto the Indigenous population while also stripping the land for resources.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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He’s been talking about replacing it with a permanent ballroom for a long time, in his usual Dictator Chic idiom.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
1 Aug. 2025
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This could be in Elsbeth’s usual light and fizzy idiom or perhaps a brief foray into Scandi-noir.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The performance varied, reaching 86 percent accuracy with the best performing patient and on a limited vocabulary of 50 words, but dropping to 74 percent when the vocabulary was expanded to 125,000 words.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
23 Aug. 2025
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The offering includes cases, workplace vocabulary, personalized learning plans and an always-on practice partner for speaking.—
Aman Kidwai,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But first, the deeper history and roots of certain slang terms A number of phrases that are labeled as Gen Z lingo or internet slang today are derived from Black and drag cultures.—
Mia Thurow,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
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Today, it is used widely as slang for a close friend.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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