as in phrase
a sequence of words having a specific meaning
the English idiom "how are you doing?" is our version of a greeting that in some other languages can be translated as "how are you going?"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idiom
Like fellow North Carolinians Wednesday and MJ Lenderman—local stars descended from the likes of Lucinda Williams and Drive By Truckers—Dowdy carves complex new visions into the idioms of his upbringing.
—
Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Among the surviving Romansh idioms, Sursilvan reigns in the upper Rhine Valley; Sutsilvan in the posterior Rhine Valley; Surmiran in the Albula Valley and Oberhalbstein; and Puter and Vallader in the Engadine.
—Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Now, the phrase is often associated with quitting an addiction – but that wasn't the case when the first uses of the idiom started popping up in the late 19th century, according to Dave Wilton, the editor of WordOrigins.org.
—Natalie Escobar, NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
The way in which Scottish morsels and intangibles alike have managed to break their way through the train's windowed barrier, from idioms and folk tales to cans of Tennent's.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idiom
Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Among the surviving Romansh idioms, Sursilvan reigns in the upper Rhine Valley; Sutsilvan in the posterior Rhine Valley; Surmiran in the Albula Valley and Oberhalbstein; and Puter and Vallader in the Engadine.
—Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Now, the phrase is often associated with quitting an addiction – but that wasn't the case when the first uses of the idiom started popping up in the late 19th century, according to Dave Wilton, the editor of WordOrigins.org.
—Natalie Escobar, NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
The way in which Scottish morsels and intangibles alike have managed to break their way through the train's windowed barrier, from idioms and folk tales to cans of Tennent's.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idiom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idiom
Noun
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But conversely, O’Hara, who died late last week at 71, could make a ho-hum phrase utterly hilarious.—
Jocelyn Noveck,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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That phrase will take on new meaning this July as Disneyland announced its famed ghostly estate will become available for weddings for the first time.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Bad Bunny took us through tableaux of Latinx joy, with different expressions of beautiful hair in each vignette.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
9 Feb. 2026
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Rapper Snoop Dogg wears a blank expression, moments after watching Team USA's Lindsey Vonn crash out of the women’s downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo this morning.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idiom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idiom. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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