as in dialects
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialisms
Noun
-
Throughout a career spanning more than three decades, Garg sang in dozens of languages and dialects, becoming a powerhouse in the Assamese, Bengali and Hindi-language film and music industries.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
21 Sep. 2025 -
Many live in complex social groups, communicate in different dialects, pass on culture through generations, engage in play and even grieve the loss of family and friends as was the case here.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
These systems can interpret regional slang, idioms and context-specific expressions, hence minimizing both over-censorship and under-enforcement.—
Anees Ali Khan,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Kids can swing Dora and Boots, cook in the treehouse kitchen, or decorate the casita with stickers, all while hearing familiar voices in two languages.—
Emily Glover,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
All the tired vocabularies have been thrown out, replaced by a mad, post-minimalist openness and pluralism.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Transcripts, grammars, vocabularies, dictionaries, glyph studies, botanical studies, commentaries, articles, editions of codices, correspondence, maps, charts, drawings, photographs, Maya Society materials, genealogies of Maya families, and Mayan glyphs on moveable type.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
12 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialisms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialisms. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share