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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
CORAs are the colloquial shorthand for public records requests.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
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
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
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
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Recorded at Glendale’s UHF Studio, Davis worked closely with producer-bassist Dan Horne and guitarist John Lee Shannon, inaugurating a new songwriting partnership—one that trades the solitary melancholia of her earlier albums for something more open-ended and conversational.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
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Participatory Journalism Here, facilitated by technological advances and participatory culture, journalists are seen to move from a hierarchical model of information disseminators to a more horizontal model based on audience participation and conversational modes of communication.—
Daniel Jackson,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 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
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In South Africa the Singita Lowveld Trust and AndBeyond’s Wild Impact teamed up to launch the Hustle Economy, a program that identifies and mentors community members with micro-enterprises such as spaza shops, hair-care services, jewelry retail, and informal eateries.—
Jen Murphy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
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In an email, Roberts said Foster played no formal or informal role in linking him to the player.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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By the end of that show, the anxiety and isolation that freight life in the closet had burned away, leaving a happy, hopeful ending in place of familiar narrative disaster; love is found, secrecy is banished, and all is well.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Yet, lurking on social media, the appointment unleashed the all-too-familiar torrent of hate, sexism and misogyny.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Buildings—a contemporary, fluid interpretation of the Cretan idiom by Pieris.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Like the idiom, their coffee shop hopes to bring surprising offerings to the coffee scene.—
Jenna Thompson
April 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Nick Jonas has a casual yet stylish vibe in a leather jacket, hoodie and baseball cap in New York City on April 23.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
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Wetjen was out at Stone Creek Golf Club near Iowa’s campus, playing a casual round with his girlfriend, Rachel Bierman, and friends when the moment hit.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Or in Cowboys parlance, think Darren Woodson.—
Bill Jones,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Michaels, who worked with Williams during the latter’s time in NXT, felt that Williams made a great babyface (a good guy in wrestling parlance), but needed to spend more time as a heel (bad guy).—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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