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

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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

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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 language On Saturday, that language bent toward Parton — nowhere more naturally than in Tennessee. — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 Many nurses and union officials said strengthening the law is essential and that the law’s language is unclear, leaving it open to different interpretations. — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 In Westchester County, New York, AI tools are used to help English language learners or guide students' research. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 Babbel teaches 14 languages, including Spanish, French, German, and Italian, with lessons written by more than 150 linguists rather than generated by AI. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 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
  • As the Senate ages, Fetterman won’t be the last case litigated entirely in that vocabulary, for want of any real capacity to evaluate, accommodate, or retire an official on medical grounds.
    — Michael P.H. Stanley, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Commanders offensive lineman Brandon Coleman compared picking up a new offense to learning a new vocabulary in school.
    — David Aldridge, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • The terminology may differ, but the underlying patterns rarely do.
    — Farzana Abdulhusein, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Lloyd will wear the green dot in Charlotte, however, with Okereke just trying to learn the terminology.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of terminology
Noun
  • Touma said that, not unlike today, access to education and wealth often affected one's diction and vocabulary.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Regrettably, even after all this time living here, my bride never fails to seize the opportunity to suggest my diction is something less than poifect.
    — Irv Erdos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of diction
Noun
  • And, in recent years, a new culinary wave has emerged, as chefs create bold fusion dishes or, more subtly, adapt Japanese recipes to uniquely Brazilian produce, from Amazon river fish to jambu, a tongue-tingling herb.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The shoe also features a double-lace system that keeps the tongue in place and makes the fit feel more secure and sock-like.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of tongue
Noun
  • Owner and chef Stefania Marchesini, who fished professionally herself for 11 years, pays a premium to local fishermen, especially for soft-shell crabs known in the local dialect as moeche.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • What used to be two entirely separate compliance projects is starting to look like two dialects of the same emerging language.
    — Abdelahhad Barbour, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • Translated into English, the wording on the flag read ‘Anthony the big one is a Catalan’.
    — Pol Ballús, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • That gives Amazon an advantage over tools that simply search for suspicious wording or potentially dangerous links.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of wording
Noun
  • The multigenerational family epic is one of my favorite kinds of novels, and Min Jin Lee is a master of that idiom.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In that context, all three filmmakers agreed that, while English films are on the rise, the idiom is just another card on their table—and Swiss directors are eager to play their hands.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of idiom
Noun
  • Young artists like the members of the Chilean boy band Q_ARE are fusing these elements with Latin music styles, Spanish and English lyrics and Chilean slang to pioneer a uniquely Latino pop subgenre.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The latest slang to capture the Gen Z zeitgeist is a way to say poser, try-hard or fraud.
    — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of slang

Phrases Containing language

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laneways
language
languages
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Cite this Entry

“Language.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/language. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about language

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