turn of phrase

noun phrase

: a way of saying or describing something
a nice turn of phrase

Examples of turn of phrase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web McCarthy does land one surprising interview subject, however: the writer who couldn’t have known the long-lasting impact his turn of phrase would end up having. Michael Nordine, Variety, 17 June 2024 Rather, Washington’s national security establishment has unthinkingly internalized a Trump-era turn of phrase that is rife with unrealistic expectations and unvetted assumptions. Van Jackson, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2021 The ability of corporate directors to hang on to their seats as if with prehensile behinds (to filch Orwell’s turn of phrase) underscores the uselessness of corporate boards. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2023 The post added an Arabic turn of phrase used on birthdays and holidays. Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2023 DeSantis, who seems to view everything in the world through a bile duct (hat-tip to novelist R.A. Lafferty for the turn of phrase), sought and received the state legislature’s permission to fire the Reedy Creek board and replace it with his own cronies. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023 We-agles works for a couple reasons, but this latest reference to a familiar Auburn turn of phrase comes from something Freeze said over the weekend. Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 23 Aug. 2023 Under his watch, the orchestra dove straight into the score, savoring every zesty rhythm and pointed turn of phrase and generally enjoying themselves greatly. Zachary Lewis, cleveland, 27 Aug. 2023 And, as a reminder that not every lyrical turn of phrase in this town is belted out, the over-30-year-old Southern Festival of Books takes place in October. Katrina Brown Hunt, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'turn of phrase.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near turn of phrase

Cite this Entry

“Turn of phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20of%20phrase. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!