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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquial
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
But unlike the evolution of colloquial language, which is largely arbitrary, the evolution of scientific terms must reflect our current understanding of reality.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Adjective
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
But unlike the evolution of colloquial language, which is largely arbitrary, the evolution of scientific terms must reflect our current understanding of reality.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
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The rooms Guest rooms and suites have been nearly completely redone, corner to corner, and brought into a modern design vernacular.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
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The Upside Down, a dark, gooey parallel universe of Hawkins, and its predatory demogorgons became part of their middle school vernacular.—
Lorraine Ali,
Boston Herald,
30 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Price suggests using a landline to help children develop conversational skills, encouraging them to use the phone to check in with grandparents or chat with friends.—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
11 Jan. 2026
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Users upload an image along with a script or voice sample, and generative AI animates the face into a conversational digital persona capable of real-time dialogue.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 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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Tip amounts received from other employees paid out through tip pools, tip splitting, or other formal/informal tip-sharing arrangements.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
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However, an informal, expatriate group of academics and professionals told TIME on Sunday that, per their calculations, protester deaths could have reached 6,000 through Saturday.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Fishbach’s debut novel is set in familiar terrain for him.—
Michael Schaub,
Oc Register,
16 Jan. 2026
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Those who know the victim described him as a familiar and well‑liked presence in the neighborhood.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There’s this Douglas Adams joke that in no language is there the idiom as pretty as an airport.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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As a substitute, the board selected local architect William Pereira, who, never fully at ease with a modernist idiom, hewed to the middlebrow tastes and conservative politics of California’s philanthropic parvenus.—
Michaëla de Lacaze Mohrmann,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Last week, former Marni creative director Francesco Risso was appointed creative director of casual wear brand GU, which is owned by Uniqlo’s Japanese parent company Fast Retailing.—
Maliha Shoaib,
Vogue,
13 Jan. 2026
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Bagail 8-piece Packing Cube Set While dress codes during the day skew casual on board a ship, passengers do like to dress up at night, which means the pressure is on to pull together a classy outfit that’s not on repeat.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In football parlance, Indiana fumbled the bag.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
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It was once said, for instance, that Disney’s cast members — staff, in park parlance — would be able to recognize if someone’s personality leaned resistance, First Order or rogue.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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