idioms

plural of idiom
as in phrases
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?"

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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 idioms The history of labor struggle, infused with religious idioms, is a source of identity and values evident in everything from union meetings in churches to prayers on picket lines. The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025 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 Allusions to myths, fables, and riffs on common idioms abound, many of them evocative and quite funny. Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idioms
phrases
Noun
  • Heck, even one of his catch-all phrases connects the points.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Also, there is a cue card with some sort of possible Latin phrases that Lithgow's Dumbledore may be speaking.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Idioms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idioms. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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