so to speak
idiom
—used to indicate that one is using words in an unusual or figurative way rather than a literal way
We need to be all on the same wavelength, so to speak.
Examples of so to speak in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is because the presence of lipoprotein(a) makes cholesterol particles sticky, so to speak, and thus more likely to get trapped in an atherosclerotic plaque.
—
Mary J. Scourboutakos, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the process of dressing the rom-com's characters, and an exploration of why Fitoussi is in on the joke, so to speak, of the lovelorn marketing executive's wardrobe.
—Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
White House officials characterized the dismantling of NCAR as a return to the center’s original mission—to make the weather great again, so to speak, by separating weather forecasting from research on climate change.
—Michelle Nijhuis, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Read the tea leaves, so to speak.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for so to speak
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Mary J. Scourboutakos, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the process of dressing the rom-com's characters, and an exploration of why Fitoussi is in on the joke, so to speak, of the lovelorn marketing executive's wardrobe.
—Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
White House officials characterized the dismantling of NCAR as a return to the center’s original mission—to make the weather great again, so to speak, by separating weather forecasting from research on climate change.
—Michelle Nijhuis, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Read the tea leaves, so to speak.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for so to speak
Cite this Entry
“So to speak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/so%20to%20speak. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.
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