language

noun

ˈlaŋ-gwij How to pronounce language (audio)
Definition of languagenext
1
as in vocabulary
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication Great Britain, the United States, Australia, and other countries where English is the dominant language

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field "love" means "nothing" in the language of tennis

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in diction
the way in which something is put into words we're finding the language of the legal documents to be tough going

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 language Replacing the 1960s era Union Carbide Building, the tower has come to the fore not just for its scale and sustainable features, but also for the design language shaping its interiors — a story in which Italy’s Molteni Group is now staking a claim. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 13 July 2026 The visitor was struck by the image of a young Coffin in a dark theatre, straining to piece together a language that might as well have been gibberish. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 The project includes everything from videos of an Indigenous musician performing a song about water in the Tongva language to brothers worrying about the future of their family’s 60-year-old pickle business in the face of gentrification. — Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 In operation, the system first predicts future visual states from current observations and language instructions. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for language
Recent Examples of Synonyms for language
  1. vocabulary
  2. terminology
  3. diction
  4. tongue
  5. dialect
  6. wording
  7. idiom
  8. slang
Noun
  • Scheffler had not seen conditions like this — a combination of yellow and brown, which translates to firm and fiery in a links vocabulary.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • Designed in collaboration with Ukrainian architect and designer Victoria Yakusha, the boutique translates the brand’s restrained jewelry vocabulary into a nearly monochromatic interior.
    — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 14 July 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • The goal is to develop proficiency in cybersecurity terminology and the technical skills essential for identifying common cyberattack methods.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Using basic academic terminology would place grants at risk of rejection or termination on political grounds.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of terminology
Noun
  • This was a lexicon both earthy and expansive, a diction vulgar and elevated, granular and capricious.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
  • This isn’t to suggest that Young needs to pick up where Hunt has left off, in terms of salty diction.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of diction
Noun
  • Instead people voted with their wallets and not a single person was harmed except maybe some marketing guys getting a tongue lashing.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • The oral microbiome is the community of more than 700 bacterial species that live across your teeth, tongue, cheeks, gums and tonsils, making the mouth the second most diverse microbial habitat in the human body after the gut.
    — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of tongue
Noun
  • Textbooks were in German, classmates spoke a Saxon dialect, while my grandfather’s novels were in Romanian.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • In India, the book Why Tibet Matters has been translated into 15 local dialects to galvanize solidarity among the host community.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • Enforcement is costly, complex, and prone to legal battles, with AI makers challenging vague wording and jurisdictional claims.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The wording of the agreement was a bit puzzling, since the Algerian national team held its base camp at the University of Kansas’ facilities in Lawrence — where the deepest connections were forged between the team and a local community.
    — PJ Green July 14, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
Definition of wording
Noun
  • Please put on your batteries — a Mexican Spanish idiom that means to cowboy up.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Rooms are comfortable and in the same white idiom, often with jet-black bathrooms; some are duplexes with high ceilings and large windows.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
Definition of idiom
Noun
  • Kerr, for example, questioned Valdez’s command of English given his use of Caló, a culturally specific dialect that blends Mexican Spanish slang with English.
    — Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • Their influence stretched beyond music into fashion, dance trends and slang, and as member Pimpin' noted, fans are still doing the group's signature dance more than two decades later, something a SeaWorld whale recently proved.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Definition of slang

Phrases Containing language

Browse Nearby Words

laneways
language
languages
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Language.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/language. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on language

Nglish: Translation of language for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about language

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All