Synonyms of idiom

idiom

noun

ˈi-dē-əm 

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?"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• phrase
• expression
• term
• slogan
• motto
• figure of speech
• epithet
• cliché
• colloquialism
• locution
• expletive
• euphemism
• modernism
• shibboleth
• name
• byword
• watchword
• neologism
• provincialism
• vulgarism
• cry

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of idiom

The film’s look is inspired by ink wash paintings and wood blocks, moving fluidly between different visual idioms. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026

Out of love for different sound systems, different writing systems, different grammars, different sets of concepts, different idioms, different ways of seeing the world. — Douglas Hofstadter, Time, 30 June 2026

The best tended to use puns, literalization — turning an idiom into reality — and pedantic humor to delight and torment children in equal measures. — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 21 June 2026

That French idiom about having long teeth — les dents longues — can have negative connotations about a person’s ambitious streak. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 June 2026