Definition of idiomnext
as in phrase
a sequence of words having a specific meaning the English idiom "how are you doing?" is our version of a greeting that in some other languages can be translated as "how are you going?"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of idiom The Western musical tradition is mostly sidelined in favor of kuduro, gqom, batida, and sounds too free of familiar musical idioms to be easily categorized. Will Lynch, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026 While the work’s English title might indicate a sense of amusement or distraction, the Chinese title is an idiom that refers to being caught in a dilemma, like a boat that has left one shore but has not yet reached the other. Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026 Like the idiom, their coffee shop hopes to bring surprising offerings to the coffee scene. Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026 Buildings—a contemporary, fluid interpretation of the Cretan idiom by Pieris. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for idiom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idiom
Noun
  • In season 5, contestant Kay Kay Gray turned the sign into a catch phrase after seeing footage of her partner in the area with another woman during Casa Amor.
    Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
  • The global village is a phrase that is closely associated with the Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan.
    Brian A. Cogan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • This includes my place not only as a writer—who like my grandfather had, is writing books, teaching college, and engaged in psychoanalytic thought—but also as a someone who has similarly dedicated her life to the pursuit of learning, understanding, and expression through language.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • Master Medal Laelia Añejo is a boutique expression produced at Casa Natima in Amatitán.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Idiom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idiom. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

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