1
as in vernacular
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
the new coworker's rudeness soon began—to use a colloquial expression—to rub me the wrong way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conversational
having the style and content of everyday conversation
a colloquial essay on what makes a marriage successful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in colloquialism
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 colloquial
Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 Mar. 2025
The terms used above are colloquial in nature and don’t have well established business definitions.
—Mark Settle, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
The region’s colloquial exclamation alamak, which is used to convey surprise and dismay, is also included in the list, though its exact origin is uncertain.
—Peter Guo, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
Gorsuch used his short opinion on the dry topic of debt collection to declare a more colloquial style.
—Jill Barton, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
Russ Scholl, a ski instructor at Breckenridge Ski Resort, has published a 133-square grid of funky colloquial phrases for different types of snow.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 Mar. 2025
The terms used above are colloquial in nature and don’t have well established business definitions.
—Mark Settle, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
The region’s colloquial exclamation alamak, which is used to convey surprise and dismay, is also included in the list, though its exact origin is uncertain.
—Peter Guo, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
Gorsuch used his short opinion on the dry topic of debt collection to declare a more colloquial style.
—Jill Barton, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
-
For Forbes, learning the defense itself wasn’t as intensive as understanding the Rams’ techniques and vernacular.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
28 May 2025
-
Originally appearing in Latin or Greek, several stories of transgender saints made their way into vernacular languages.—
Sarah Barringer,
The Conversation,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
This could involve helping systems learn colloquialisms and proper usages of terms.—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Mar. 2025
-
You would be forgiven for assuming this a playful colloquialism, perhaps revealing a tenderness to the hunt.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
With its gleaming cabinetry, large central island and ample space for a large table and chairs for informal meals, this area has an undeniable contemporary feel and visual appeal.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
-
This exemption enabled informal workers and women who had had career gaps due to childrearing, for instance, to retire with some security.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
The latter star has landed a number of hits throughout the past few years by repurposing melodies and interpolating hooks from older, familiar smashes by other artists, reworking them into something exciting and new for a different audience.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
Absence of treatment is not absence of illness, of course, but given how much time Gauguin spent in hospitals, that such a familiar disease would have been missed seems unlikely.—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Unleashing Wood has ushered in an exciting new phase for a widely influential band that has defined a state-of-the-art jazz idiom deeply engaged with other genres.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
-
Scientists analyzed recordings of three groups of chimpanzees living in the Ivory Coast and found that chimps can combine their hoots, grunts and calls in a similar way to how humans use idioms or change the order of words to build new phrases.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Born from old coffee bean bags, the canvas fabric stood out on the runway, crafted as a casual option for hanging close to shorelines.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
The woman’s friend and the casual man spend time every few weeks, play pool, and text daily.—
Stephanie Guerilus,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
In newspaper and wire service parlance, a dateline is the name of a place, typically written in capital letters and followed by an em dash, at the beginning of an article.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
-
In Israeli parlance, the prime minister is a freier—a sucker.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
LuPone is refreshingly gossipy in public in a way that’s largely died in our fearful-of-repercussions, fearful-of-retweets internet age.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
-
In a world of algorithm game-playing and lyrics bundled with gossipy subtext, the band’s songs — which deftly blend garage rock and shoegaze — function as talismans affirming the importance of standing tall by your convictions.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share