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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
This time around, our Traitors and Faithfuls are a beautiful assortment of Housewives, Survivors, athletes, actors, and plenty of mothers — both literal (Donna Kelce) and in the colloquial sense (Porsha Williams).
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The colloquial term Paczki Day is used for Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
—Jelissa Burns, Freep.com, 6 Jan. 2026
In this context, something as small and lightweight as a pair of earrings could serve as the colloquial glue that united people under one national identity, at a moment in history when destabilization and separation were the modi operandi of a country sharing a border with Ukraine.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
The city of big apples, hand-tossed pizzas and the colloquial adverb deadass.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
This time around, our Traitors and Faithfuls are a beautiful assortment of Housewives, Survivors, athletes, actors, and plenty of mothers — both literal (Donna Kelce) and in the colloquial sense (Porsha Williams).
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The colloquial term Paczki Day is used for Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
—Jelissa Burns, Freep.com, 6 Jan. 2026
In this context, something as small and lightweight as a pair of earrings could serve as the colloquial glue that united people under one national identity, at a moment in history when destabilization and separation were the modi operandi of a country sharing a border with Ukraine.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
-
The final tour on May 30 will be Avon and Simsbury including architectural themes of vernacular farmhouses, Georgian and Federal homes and the classic saltbox home.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Translated into many vernacular languages, the poetry and philosophy of Firdausi, Attar, Rumi, Hafez, Sa‘di, Nizami, Ibn Sina, and Nizam al-Mulk assumed a canonical authority across Asia.—
Pankaj Mishra,
The New York Review of Books,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Karim just talks to the camera about elephants in a conversational tone.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Karim simply talks to his camera in a conversational tone about the elephants at the San Diego Zoo.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The exhibit’s title is derived from a Spanish colloquialism.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Her vetting crusades have brought about a new Washington colloquialism.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The emerging cooperation has opened the door for American companies to explore opportunities in Venezuela’s mineral-rich south, even as governance on the ground remains dominated by armed groups and informal networks.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Residents have cleared public rainforest, creating informal plots and erecting makeshift homes.—
Gabriela Sá Pessoa,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The birding site notes that hummingbirds migrate alone, often following familiar paths, and can travel up to 500 miles at a time at speeds of 20 to 30 mph.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Bogen says the pattern is familiar from older Internet platforms, where small behavioral cues became signals that shaped what users saw and how they were categorized.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An idiom is a phrase that is common to a certain population.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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HaLani is a casual open air spot serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner right by the pools.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The kitchen is outfitted with top-tier appliances, dual islands, and a casual dining area, while a sumptuous primary retreat comes with dual baths, a beauty salon, and an ultra-luxe closet.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But in modern English parlance, mantra has come to mean a person or group’s representative phrase, similar to a slogan or a watchword.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In military parlance, this usually translates to one attack on a specific target that might involve multiple weapons.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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