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 The English language alerts contained spelling and grammatical errors. — Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 In an interview, Freja Day, the brand’s chief executive officer, said menswear has been part of Soeur’s creative language since the beginning, informing its approach to clothing and silhouette. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026 Additionally, Raby said, there needs to be a focus on the district’s multi-language and special education programs as the district looks to improve. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026 Meanwhile, as hip-house took hold Stateside, those who had licked a new sonic language weren’t going to sit a profitable wave out. — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 2 Nov. 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
  • Rouleaux, in the vocabulary of dark-field microscopy, are blood cells that are stacked like pancakes.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The diagnosis gave a vocabulary and a tangibility to their fears.
    — Kirsten Balin, STAT, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • Tobias Gehrke, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the disagreement over terminology was unlikely to derail closer cooperation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • On screen, a third season of Monarch would likely feature new Titans — the Monsterverse terminology for the likes of Godzilla, King Kong and other giant monsters.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of terminology
Noun
  • The clarity in the diction may suggest both a way of absorbing difficult emotion and a way of keeping it at bay.
    — Colm Tóibín, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Lead actor Anthony Ippolito, who landed the part with an unsolicited self-tape, disappears into the garbled diction and hangdog stubbornness of a young Stallone without ever coming off as a mere impression of a person.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of diction
Noun
  • The tongue and collar are cushioned to offer better stability and comfort around your ankle, too.
    — Abby Hepworth, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Finally, the Air Max tongue logue can also be altered to incorporate text up to three characters on each shoe.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of tongue
Noun
  • Joseph Hill, the director of the Center for Black Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University, asserted that BASL is generally treated as more of a dialect than a language.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The reality, of course, is that the Southern accent is not some incorrect version of a national standard but instead a historically separate and unique dialect – or, more accurately, set of dialects.
    — Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • And, yes, this rendition represented a lyrical alteration by the Tonji that departed from the traditional wording of the French national anthem.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In the ads analyzed by Noticias Telemundo, the form and content indicating it was done with AI varied; there were differences ranging from the text size to the wording.
    — Anagilmara Vílchez, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wording
Noun
  • Its palette is broad, moving from comic to straight rap, from Cab Calloway swing to Beyoncé-style ballads, each idiom chosen for its dramatic purpose.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Over the decades, though, Reich’s idiom has become part of the mainstream.
    — Joshua Barone, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of idiom
Noun
  • There’s a level of seriousness that belies the 90-minute comedy film he’s made, which features an imbecilic white rapper who speaks in Caribbean-British slang and a contraption that shoots bullets out of one’s rear end.
    — Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • McCaffrey and the 49ers will return to the United States after their win and lesson in Australian slang to play the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of slang

Phrases Containing language

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Cite this Entry

“Language.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/language. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about language

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