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as it were

phrase

: as if it were so : in a manner of speaking
His retirement was, as it were, the beginning of his real career.

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“As it were.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/as%20it%20were. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Definition revised
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