1
as in expressed
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
I'm trying to couch this delicately: I don't think we should date anymore
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Recent Examples of couched
One associate dean couched the misstep as a result of learning pains tied to the adoption of new technology.
—
Emily Hodgson Anderson, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
And no matter what anyone does to look younger, Miller wants women to stop with the negative self-talk about aging that’s often couched in seemingly harmless jokes.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Her efforts to come to terms with polyamory are couched as a political project—part of being an open-minded liberal—as much as a romantic one.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
The Golden State Warriors coach couched his criticism Saturday by clarifying that SGA was merely exploiting the system.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The way the story is being couched, Audi is going to build its new TT coupe whether Porsche forges ahead with the 718 EV or not.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 19 Feb. 2026
Republicans often couched their fury at speech restrictions — around right-wing cultural politics and COVID-19, in particular — as part of a broader critique of corporate power.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Thursday’s announcement was couched in terms of cost.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
And even then, it was couched in the polite, ambiguous language.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
Emily Hodgson Anderson, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
And no matter what anyone does to look younger, Miller wants women to stop with the negative self-talk about aging that’s often couched in seemingly harmless jokes.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Her efforts to come to terms with polyamory are couched as a political project—part of being an open-minded liberal—as much as a romantic one.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
The Golden State Warriors coach couched his criticism Saturday by clarifying that SGA was merely exploiting the system.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The way the story is being couched, Audi is going to build its new TT coupe whether Porsche forges ahead with the 718 EV or not.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 19 Feb. 2026
Republicans often couched their fury at speech restrictions — around right-wing cultural politics and COVID-19, in particular — as part of a broader critique of corporate power.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Thursday’s announcement was couched in terms of cost.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
And even then, it was couched in the polite, ambiguous language.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couched
Verb
-
Anxiety over rising gas prices has already hammered consumer sentiment, which slid to a three-month low in March as Americans expressed concerns about the economy, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly survey.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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His teammate, Kevin Kisner, expressed concern for Woods following his arrest as well.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jones’ wife Marie came out to the mound for the first pitch with daughters Jami and Staci, who threw the ball to Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman crouched behind the plate.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Kunkel, a freelance journalist at a protest outside an immigration detention center in Chicago on September 26, was crouched behind a van when an agent took aim from a safe perch behind a chain link fence.—
Bob Ortega,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By this stage of the week, energy markets have become more volatile after several days of trading, said De Haan.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Graduate student guard Rori Harmon said success on the defensive end of the floor opened up the rest of the Longhorns’ game.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a bipartisan group of senators huddled on the Senate floor, one Democrat left the talks shaking his head, saying he was frustrated at the state of negotiations.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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Twin Lakes also stand out, huddled in their alpine embrace and flanked by proud granite slopes.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It’s phrased in a way that sounds perfectly logical.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
-
That echoed similar sentiments—though perhaps a bit more critically phrased—from fellow racers.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The administration has also not articulated its plans for the region once the war ends.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Starting in 1931, Franklin Roosevelt articulated a governing philosophy that recast the federal government as a guarantor of economic security for ordinary Americans, establishing the bedrock of the modern Democratic brand.—
Richard Yanowitch,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano, a 52-year-old father and Los Angeles resident, died Wednesday, March 25 after being found unconscious and unresponsive inside the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, ICE officials stated in a news release.—
Ryanne Mena,
Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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One of the five prongs stated that the advice had to be regular, or ongoing.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The resolution is strongly worded but also filled with caveats — noting that the district will comply with contracting and procurement laws.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Lynch sounded far more optimistic about the situation than how Schefter worded his reporting.—
Chris Biderman
March 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Couched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couched. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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