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
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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
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
The rest of the book is spent expanding on these maxims one by one, in her colloquial, easy style, with references to classic psychological studies, her own research and her own experiences.
—Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 25 Nov. 2025
Through it all, the specifically colloquial quality of the dialogue and the delivery of the vivacious voice cast preserves the film’s Mexican identity.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
The language is colloquial, down-to-earth.
—Andrew Rojecki, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
In Hong Kong, for instance, most people speak Cantonese, an informal and colloquial language that has its own version of a gender-neutral pronoun – lessening the demand for a new character, said Wan, of rights group Gender Empowerment.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
The rest of the book is spent expanding on these maxims one by one, in her colloquial, easy style, with references to classic psychological studies, her own research and her own experiences.
—Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 25 Nov. 2025
Through it all, the specifically colloquial quality of the dialogue and the delivery of the vivacious voice cast preserves the film’s Mexican identity.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
The language is colloquial, down-to-earth.
—Andrew Rojecki, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
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That was the beginning of it and the Coens have a deep knowledge of American vernacular music.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
27 Feb. 2026
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Viral videos are among the contemporary references—along with stripper vernacular, self-driving cars, and Juicy Couture—in Age of Content, a 2023 work by the collective (La)Horde, which comprises the artists Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, and Arthur Harel.—
Laura Regensdorf,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The story is told in rhyming verse, its loose, conversational meter able to tighten suddenly for emphasis.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
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Large language models are evolving from answer engines into conversational partners that shape decisions by asking their own questions.—
Frédéric Dalsace,
Harvard Business Review,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her vetting crusades have brought about a new Washington colloquialism.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
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The show chugged along nonetheless, gradually attracting fans who adored its stark cinematography and weirdo colloquialisms.—
Claire McNear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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On Purim one year, a group of Jewish photographers came out to meet them there — starting an informal tradition.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
10 Mar. 2026
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In Florida, there are special rules of procedure called the Florida Small Claims Rules, which make procedures simpler, faster and more informal than the regular civil court process.—
Florence Taylor Barner,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There just was something very familiar.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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From the steamy streets of Carnival in the late 1970s to the 18th century Arctic tundra and an eerily familiar, fictionalized version of present-day America, this year’s nominees span decades, genres, continents and cultures.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This further underscored the symbiotic relationship between Humphreys and smooth jazz, an idiom not held in high regard by the person booking the concerts.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Those books introduced me to a vision of American teenage life and taught me the rhythms and idioms of American English, nuances that would later replace my Britishisms and shape my career as a journalist.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rooms have a casual glamour with Filipino touches of capiz shell, mother of pearl, coral, and sea shells.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
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The company estimates there are at least a million tennis fans who would pony up for its app and millions more casual fans who might watch for free or listen to a podcast.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In negotiating parlance, that’s the most a buyer is willing to pay, and Paramount hasn’t shared its answer.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Now the trick will be to get older females to show up as well (in movie parlance.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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