language

noun

ˈlaŋ-gwij How to pronounce language (audio)
Definition of languagenext
1
as in vocabulary
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication Great Britain, the United States, Australia, and other countries where English is the dominant language

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field "love" means "nothing" in the language of tennis

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in diction
the way in which something is put into words we're finding the language of the legal documents to be tough going

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 language The industry is treating this like a financial product launch, packaging it in the language of markets, growth, and political proximity. — Natalie Gordon, Fortune, 6 July 2026 For Spanish-language coverage, Peacock is the official World Cup streamer. — Erin Lassner, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026 Heap pointed to the policy’s language requiring students to keep their devices off during the school day, including outside class, unless an administrator gives permission. — Chaewon Chung updated July 6, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026 What might a language that rises up from the grassroots sound like, that is so cellular? — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for language
Recent Examples of Synonyms for language
  1. vocabulary
  2. terminology
  3. diction
  4. tongue
  5. dialect
  6. wording
  7. idiom
  8. slang
Noun
  • American adults also tend to have a smaller vocabulary than those with an equivalent level of education did half a century ago.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Reading for pleasure can also help build vocabulary and reading fluency while enhancing focus.
    — Michelle Kearney, The Conversation, 7 July 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • The goal is to develop proficiency in cybersecurity terminology and the technical skills essential for identifying common cyberattack methods.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Using basic academic terminology would place grants at risk of rejection or termination on political grounds.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of terminology
Noun
  • This was a lexicon both earthy and expansive, a diction vulgar and elevated, granular and capricious.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
  • This isn’t to suggest that Young needs to pick up where Hunt has left off, in terms of salty diction.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of diction
Noun
  • Instead people voted with their wallets and not a single person was harmed except maybe some marketing guys getting a tongue lashing.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • The oral microbiome is the community of more than 700 bacterial species that live across your teeth, tongue, cheeks, gums and tonsils, making the mouth the second most diverse microbial habitat in the human body after the gut.
    — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of tongue
Noun
  • Unlike the brighter, more melodic style often associated with Austria and the Tyrol region, Swiss yodeling is slower and more melancholic — an emotionally nuanced tradition rooted in distinct regional dialects.
    — Jez Fielder, Fortune, 30 June 2026
  • Unlike the brighter, more melodic style often associated with Austria and the Tyrol region, Swiss yodeling is slower and more melancholic — an emotionally nuanced tradition rooted in distinct regional dialects.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • That broad wording makes the offer sound useful to almost anyone planning travel.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • The budget language did not mention Peregrine by name, but its wording mirrors that used by FDLE in its April agreement with the company, and by the agency in its request for $6 million to the Legislature in January.
    — Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026
Definition of wording
Noun
  • Rooms are comfortable and in the same white idiom, often with jet-black bathrooms; some are duplexes with high ceilings and large windows.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
  • On the one hand, the translation serves as a source for the idioms of nineteenth-century English; on the other, as evidence of the ideas that the translator held about a Colombian woman writer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of idiom
Noun
  • Their influence stretched beyond music into fashion, dance trends and slang, and as member Pimpin' noted, fans are still doing the group's signature dance more than two decades later, something a SeaWorld whale recently proved.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • Benoit delights in language as much as her heroine, weaving Regency-era slang throughout and appending a chapter-by-chapter glossary of vulgarities.
    — Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Definition of slang

Phrases Containing language

Browse Nearby Words

laneways
language
languages
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Language.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/language. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on language

Nglish: Translation of language for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about language

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of xeric

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All