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
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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
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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of expression
Weaving together voices from hundreds of unfiltered radio calls to the Yellowstone Public Radio show Your Opinion, Please!, the film captures a decade of raw public debate across Montana, revealing a state grappling with questions of identity, community, and free expression.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Whether driven by personal expression, cultural significance, superstition or legacy, most athletes have meaningful reasons for choosing their jersey numbers.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 7 May 2025
That sets me apart from some of my colleagues, who fear that AI is accelerating a glut of superficial content, impeding critical thinking and hindering creative expression.
—Jeanne Beatrix Law, The Conversation, 7 May 2025
No hands or attributes at all, or perhaps a sober parapet, would be more consistent with the simplicity of dress and serious expression that are this particular portrait’s visible features.
—E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for expression
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Whether driven by personal expression, cultural significance, superstition or legacy, most athletes have meaningful reasons for choosing their jersey numbers.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 7 May 2025
That sets me apart from some of my colleagues, who fear that AI is accelerating a glut of superficial content, impeding critical thinking and hindering creative expression.
—Jeanne Beatrix Law, The Conversation, 7 May 2025
No hands or attributes at all, or perhaps a sober parapet, would be more consistent with the simplicity of dress and serious expression that are this particular portrait’s visible features.
—E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for expression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expression
Noun
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Write in your natural voice People trust what feels authentic.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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Research indicates that infants can distinguish their mother's voice and show a preference for it over others, influenced by amniotic fluid and later by breast milk, becoming a source of comfort and familiarity for a newborn.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
Noun
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At the 10:19 mark of the second quarter, Brown caught the ball in the left corner, with his feet set behind the 3-point line, and had a seemingly wide-open look at the basket.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2025
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As the subtitle indicates, Baker’s book is a critical look at how this idea of entrepreneurialism has been used as a tool to alternatively discipline or distract workers from the ever-increasing concentration of wealth.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2025
Noun
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Its salmon runs are declining in some places, and its fisheries aren’t immune to problems or closures, but in terms of sheer salmon abundance, nowhere else in this country comes close.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
15 May 2025
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National Weather Service Since the start of President Trump’s second term, the National Weather Service has lost more than 550 people due to early retirements, the Department of Government Efficiency’s firings of probationary workers and its offers to leave government service.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Click on the image and get redirected to a phishing page that prompts for the wallet seed phrase.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
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Wallen started selling merchandise using the phrase within 48 hours of the post.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
12 May 2025
Noun
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This usually happens with scents that have a lower perfume oil concentration or poor formulation.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
17 May 2025
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Souter didn’t hesitate to endorse Harlan’s formulation.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Pamela Anderson is baring it all about going bare face.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
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As for the new faces, the movie does double duty in proving that Tramell Tillman’s smooth-operator act from Severance can translate beautifully from TV to motion pictures, and that the off-the-charts screen presence Katy O’Brian displayed in Love Lies Bleeding was no one-off fluke.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
Noun
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The words take on an emotional second meaning after Todd's death, playing like a farewell message from the actor himself, and that's not by accident.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
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Read every single word, as there will be a pop quiz this week to test your knowledge.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
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But the nature of all idioms is that their meaning cannot be deduced from their components; the phrase kicked the bucket does not put the English speaker in the mind of an actual bucket, just as the word death does not remind him terribly of the letter D.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
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Best known as a savvy drummer deeply versed in a broad swath of pre-World War II idioms like ragtime, Delta blues, and swing, Devine is at home surrounded by the artifacts and ephemera that captured the sounds and spirit of that era.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expression. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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