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
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Cicada’s disappearing routine Scientists who hunt for unusual Covid-19 variants waited to give this one a colloquial, or common, name.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
The realism, though, comes in the particularity of the Spanish dialogue, the cultural exchanges, and colloquial understandings that run through this community — and from Mexico to the United States.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
CORAs are the colloquial shorthand for public records requests.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
Gnat isn't a scientific term so much as a colloquial one.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Cicada’s disappearing routine Scientists who hunt for unusual Covid-19 variants waited to give this one a colloquial, or common, name.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
The realism, though, comes in the particularity of the Spanish dialogue, the cultural exchanges, and colloquial understandings that run through this community — and from Mexico to the United States.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
CORAs are the colloquial shorthand for public records requests.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
-
The sound of motorbikes and cars fade as birds take over with their harmonies all around Nai Lert’s Thai vernacular style all-teak vacation home, built in 1915.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This pattern blends the storytelling rhythm of the Persian mas̄navī (narrative poem written in rhyming couplets) with vernacular Hindi verse forms.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Google Brain developed LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) in 2021, the conversational AI that powered the early version of Google Bard, which was later succeeded by the Gemini family of models.—
Alison Eldridge,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
11 May 2026
-
There are also sections called a Cup of Tea with Meg, conversational pauses that feel like sitting across from someone who is not trying to sell you anything.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The exhibit’s title is derived from a Spanish colloquialism.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Ways to learn a new language Apps are a good way to learn the basics and proper pronunciation, but many colloquialisms, abbreviations and grammatically informal expressions used by fluent or native speakers aren’t taught on apps or in language classes.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And Democratic operatives have begun informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even as most believe that Martin's job isn't in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
-
Lepoutre said Chapiron’s project is inspired by real cases in France involving young women who set themselves up as informal practitioners, offering discounted Botox and injections with dubious products.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Many of the precautions a traveler could take are similar to those that became familiar at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
Details about the underlying allegation remain murky, but the department sources familiar with the matter said the LAPD’s secretive Special Operations Division tailed officers who were under investigation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The Western musical tradition is mostly sidelined in favor of kuduro, gqom, batida, and sounds too free of familiar musical idioms to be easily categorized.—
Will Lynch,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
-
While the work’s English title might indicate a sense of amusement or distraction, the Chinese title is an idiom that refers to being caught in a dilemma, like a boat that has left one shore but has not yet reached the other.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Here, the feel is of a car-free village where guests and day-tripping locals can mingle over pétanque games, art galleries, and craft workshops, casual and fine dining cuisine, and rejuvenating sessions in the spa’s Iyashi Dôme.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
By pairing Eilish with Cameron in all the marketing, the hope was maybe that the film would appeal not just to concert fans but to more casual film fans who know Cameron can deliver a spectacle.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The decision singled out these compounders, which are known as 503B facilities in regulatory parlance, after growing controversy over their role in making weight loss treatments available over the past few years.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In film parlance, this would be a spoiler.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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