1
as in voice
an act, process, or means of putting something into words
the poem is his expression of his grief upon the loss of his beloved wife
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2
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling
we could tell by the fans' expressions that the Chicago Cubs had lost again
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in term
a pronounceable series of letters having a distinct meaning especially in a particular field
the expression "John Doe" is used in legal proceedings to refer to a person whose actual name is either unknown or being withheld from the public
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in phrase
a sequence of words having a specific meaning
the popular expression "raining cats and dogs" is meaningless in other languages
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expression
Leigh used every moment, every expression, to tell Blanche's story and to illustrate her torment, her delusion, and her desire for affection.
—
Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
The camera frequently lingers in close-up on faces, patiently observing and capturing fleeting emotions, allowing the character’s inner world to emerge through small gestures and expressions rather than overt storytelling.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Twelve, which just launched a brand-new expression.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2026
Accusations like this are expressions of fear, resentment or loss.
—Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expression
Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
The camera frequently lingers in close-up on faces, patiently observing and capturing fleeting emotions, allowing the character’s inner world to emerge through small gestures and expressions rather than overt storytelling.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Twelve, which just launched a brand-new expression.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2026
Accusations like this are expressions of fear, resentment or loss.
—Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expression
Noun
-
The company has 25,000 contributors across 30 countries to work on voice, video and text completion tasks.—
NILESH CHRISTOPHER LOS ANGELES TIMES,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
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Skip to main content As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
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Saturday presented the first look at what a Matthews-less Leafs team will look like.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Set fair terms and document decisions, and avoid dramatic ultimatums.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The March 17 election includes primary races for Illinois’ secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer — and while all those positions are held by incumbent Democrats who are running for new terms with no primary challengers, Republicans are duking it out in one of the contests.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Above this playful mess of a beat, which includes a music box-like instrument that sounds partially broken, Shabaka rips out brief and noisy phrases on tenor sax.—
Mark Richardson,
Pitchfork,
12 Mar. 2026
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For example, while not wanting to write a historical novel or write a novel in an old-world-y register, Vicente was keen to avoid anachronisms and therefore attempted not to include a single word or phrase that was not being used in Spanish two centuries ago.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Second, the swift realignment of NASA Goddard’s priorities with the President’s budget request for the 2026 fiscal year — a realignment that occurred when the budget was still only a request — reduced the availability of mission formulation and mission engineering personnel to work on AXIS.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This formulation increases the retinal stability and decreases irritation.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Leclerc responded only with a wry smile.—
Brad Spurgeon,
Robb Report,
9 Mar. 2026
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Then his mouth stretches into a faint smile.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Oscar Grabbing his third trophy of the night, Paul Thomas Anderson joined his jubilant cast (including Teyana Taylor, literally jumping for joy) onstage and got the last words of the night.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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Use more than five bold-type words.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This further underscored the symbiotic relationship between Humphreys and smooth jazz, an idiom not held in high regard by the person booking the concerts.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Those books introduced me to a vision of American teenage life and taught me the rhythms and idioms of American English, nuances that would later replace my Britishisms and shape my career as a journalist.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expression. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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