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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conversational
having the style and content of everyday conversation
a colloquial essay on what makes a marriage successful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in colloquialism
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Tabloid Journalism and Audiences Tabloid newspapers not only differ in size from broadsheet newspapers but in the way articles are written; tabloid articles are typically written in a colloquial and sensational style.
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Shepherd Mpofu,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Cicada’s disappearing routine Scientists who hunt for unusual Covid-19 variants waited to give this one a colloquial, or common, name.
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Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
The realism, though, comes in the particularity of the Spanish dialogue, the cultural exchanges, and colloquial understandings that run through this community — and from Mexico to the United States.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
The women’s game’s limited coverage meant his other honours with Umea — reaching two more UEFA Cup finals and five domestic trophies — were appreciated on a more colloquial level.
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Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Tabloid Journalism and Audiences Tabloid newspapers not only differ in size from broadsheet newspapers but in the way articles are written; tabloid articles are typically written in a colloquial and sensational style.
—
Shepherd Mpofu,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Cicada’s disappearing routine Scientists who hunt for unusual Covid-19 variants waited to give this one a colloquial, or common, name.
—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
The realism, though, comes in the particularity of the Spanish dialogue, the cultural exchanges, and colloquial understandings that run through this community — and from Mexico to the United States.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
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The Homeric poems have been translated into English and other vernacular languages for only the past 400 years.
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His Bernstein had visceral, vernacular punch; his Verdi was ardent and spry; his Britten had the right textural grit; his Mozart unfurled with complicated grace.
Adjective
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The program also sets up a conversational system that starts with storyboarding and ends with post, basically handholding a user through the completion of a short (or a five-minute scene in a feature).
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This automatic firmware update will introduce advanced AI capabilities, enabling more natural, conversational interaction with TVs.
Noun
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The exhibit’s title is derived from a Spanish colloquialism.
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Ways to learn a new language Apps are a good way to learn the basics and proper pronunciation, but many colloquialisms, abbreviations and grammatically informal expressions used by fluent or native speakers aren’t taught on apps or in language classes.
Adjective
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Here the enduring wisdom of Indian spiritual philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, Ojai’s informal patron saint, serves even to hold a recent incursion of ultra-rich to account.
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These employee-to-owner pipelines and apprenticeship-to-owner transitions marked informal forms of employee ownership.
Adjective
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The source familiar with the 2024 fire probe said city inspectors now have questions following this new blaze about how the company handled the recovery from the last incident.
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This is familiar territory for the Panthers under president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito.
Noun
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The best tended to use puns, literalization — turning an idiom into reality — and pedantic humor to delight and torment children in equal measures.
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That French idiom about having long teeth — les dents longues — can have negative connotations about a person’s ambitious streak.
Adjective
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Families, longtime soccer fans and casual viewers mixed on the concourse, creating a festival atmosphere with chants, flags and interactive soccer activities on the field.
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That wistful undertow stems from Zimmerman’s casual acceptance of his advancing age.
Noun
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The look that stuck with us from his spring 2026 menswear collection, his final for the house, was this brown field jacket—officially, in brand parlance, a hemp blouson.
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James thrived as a slot cornerback or a nickelback (depending on the parlance), acting as an additional run defender or pass rusher, depending on the situation.
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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