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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquialism
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
Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!
—Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
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
Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!
—Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialism
Noun
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Coogler wanted to ensure that neither of those characters would turn into caricatures, and had Jordan work with a dialect coach to aid in that and even asked twin filmmakers Logan and Noah Miller to consult on the film, helping him on the screenplay too.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
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Currently, African languages and dialects are underrepresented due to a lack of data and there are often biases in training data, such as facial recognition systems that struggle with darker skin tones.—
Nell Lewis,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Parental control settings on iPhones and Android phones are notoriously complicated, with options scattered across different menus and unclear technical terminology.—
Parmy Olson,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
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This means developing models that can interpret industry-specific terminology, understand company protocols, and engage in meaningful dialogue with employees across different departments.—
Quora,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Pope Francis preached the same gospel in different language.—
John Hope Bryant,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
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Apart from any constitutional questions, there is also the problem that confessional language issued by the secretary of state in his official capacity distorts the message of Easter.—
Chloe Breyer,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ultimately, Andrews and his actors find Chekhov by abandoning the paraphernalia of the writer’s universe and groping, in their own idiom, across a perilously empty stage, toward one another.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
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Which is fitting for a composer who, even when developing a homegrown idiom of his own, was criticized for sounding too European.—
Joshua Barone,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The examples are countless, and, behind the expansion of vocabulary, there is always a foundation that is likely forgotten or plainly unknown by people who adopt it via popular culture.—
Lawrence Burney,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
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For those of us old enough to remember Martin (or caught up through reruns), that phrase is etched into our pop culture vocabulary.—
Angel Diaz,
Billboard,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Their motto is gambler’s slang for risking it all in one effort to win big.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2025
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Robert De Niro’s daughter poked fun at the actor for struggling to keep up with teen slang.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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