as in dialect
a word or phrase that is used mostly in informal speech; a colloquial expression
His English is very good, but he has trouble understanding certain colloquialisms.
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Recent Examples of colloquialism
Every language has its dialects, and each dialect can have its unique spin on colloquialisms.
—
Victoria Song, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2025
There is even a colloquialism for those who curry favor among the moneyed on the island of Palm Beach.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
It’s been a year of chaos and colloquialisms, as the internet shaped not only our vocabulary but our entire political system.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
And, like any colloquialism popularized by an internet trend, celebs, brands and even the president himself cashed in on the sensation.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Victoria Song, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2025
There is even a colloquialism for those who curry favor among the moneyed on the island of Palm Beach.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
It’s been a year of chaos and colloquialisms, as the internet shaped not only our vocabulary but our entire political system.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
And, like any colloquialism popularized by an internet trend, celebs, brands and even the president himself cashed in on the sensation.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialism
Noun
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For Minha, the biggest challenge was mastering the North Korean dialect.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
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Day-one fans of Taylor Swift know that the pop superstar has come a long way since launching her music career as a country singer — and that evolution is apparent in her dialect, according to speech scientists.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Rolling back the terminology means reprinting guidance, rewriting websites, and retraining staff—all at a time when health budgets have tightened.—
Dr. Nikki Romanik,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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The same applies to some of the terminology, such as the Lake Erie Renewable Energy Resilience Project.—
Craig Rucker,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Feller told Al Jazeera that Chinese employers would have to accommodate non-Mandarin speakers by offering English-language positions and improve work-life balance.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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One of the most prominent Mexican actresses of her generation, Notni led Amazon MGM’s 2024 reboot of Zorro and recently wrapped Day One, a Spanish-language Amazon series which releases later this year.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, analytical software has revolutionized linguistic inquiry, enabling greater understanding of the ways language works—when, how, and why words break out; the specific contexts for expressions and idioms.—
Stefan Fatsis,
The Atlantic,
13 Sep. 2025
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Nonnas There's a saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn) of 2025's Nonnas is the perfect depiction of the idiom.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This combo with a strong development on each RTW category, shoes and bags, widened the vocabulary for the brand, staying tuned to their young audience.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
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No visual or symbolic vocabulary ever develops.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But there’s a whole lot of other slang spoken around here.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
8 Sep. 2025
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But first, the deeper history and roots of certain slang terms A number of phrases that are labeled as Gen Z lingo or internet slang today are derived from Black and drag cultures.—
Mia Thurow,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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