vernacular 1 of 2

adjective

vər-ˈna-kyə-lər How to pronounce vernacular (audio)
Definition of vernacularnext
as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing writes essays in a very easy-to-read, vernacular style

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

vernacular

2 of 2

noun

1
as in idiom

Related Words
2
as in binomial

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vernacular
Adjective
Screenplay credits are shared by Damodaran, Joses Imona, and Jennifer Litau, with Litau also handling Tok Pisin and vernacular-language translation duties. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026 Compiled in 1964 by Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, this four-LP, 83-track box set was intended as an accessible survey of the roots and branches of American vernacular music. — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Noun
Over Taiwanese breakfast, Claira Janover, a lively 28-year-old working for the AI fashion start-up Phia, is explaining the latest vernacular from Wasia. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 That definition closely resembles the modern social media trend sweeping younger generations and capturing Gen Z’s trendy vernacular. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vernacular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vernacular
  1. colloquial
  2. idiom
  3. binomial
  4. colloquialism
  5. misnomer
  6. parlance
  7. brand name
  8. regionalism
Adjective
  • That’s the colloquial name for the Salkin House, an 1,100-square-foot dwelling perched on a hillside lot, built for violist Jules Salkin in 1948 by John Lautner, the famed midcentury modern architect.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The theme uses a colloquial phrase almost like a mathematical function.
    — Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of colloquial
Noun
  • Its palette is broad, moving from comic to straight rap, from Cab Calloway swing to Beyoncé-style ballads, each idiom chosen for its dramatic purpose.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Over the decades, though, Reich’s idiom has become part of the mainstream.
    — Joshua Barone, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of idiom
Noun
  • Whatever its origin story, it might be argued that as the shortest binomial composed entirely of vowels, Ia io gives scientists reason enough to shout hurrah.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
  • She is credited with naming and cataloging hundreds of native plants in the Hudson River Valley using Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus’ then-new binomial system of botanical nomenclature.
    — Jessica Damiano, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2024
Definition of binomial
Noun
  • Her vetting crusades have brought about a new Washington colloquialism.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The show chugged along nonetheless, gradually attracting fans who adored its stark cinematography and weirdo colloquialisms.
    — Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of colloquialism
Noun
  • The title is unsurprisingly a misnomer, as there is no safe exit to be found.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The common name pilot black snake is a misnomer, stemming from an old belief that the black rat snake led rattlesnakes and other snake species to favorable overwintering sites.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of misnomer
Noun
  • The last attack—or troll, to use modern parlance—has proven to be particularly popular on the car internet due to the price discrepancy between the two EVs.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2026
  • No anything from any words that have not been used in popular parlance since the 1940s.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of parlance
Noun
  • Currently, Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, is the only weekly GLP-1 medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity in children over 12 years old.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • As an alternative to estrogen-progestogen therapy, ACOG also recommends a pill, sold under the brand name Duavee, that combines estrogen and a drug called bazedoxifene.
    — Shannon Firth, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of brand name
Noun
  • At the very least, regionalism marked a spatial recalibration in the literary imaginary, away from European metropoles and national capitals and toward rural hinterlands.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The sport is defined by regionalism and spectacle, contradiction and chaos.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of regionalism

Browse Nearby Words

vermin
vernacular
vernacularism
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Cite this Entry

“Vernacular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vernacular. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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