Definition of phrasenext
as in idiom
a sequence of words having a specific meaning kids drawing literal representations of the phrase "to rain cats and dogs"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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phrase

2 of 2

verb

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 phrase
Noun
Internal testing teams can’t anticipate every phrase their chatbots will ingest. — Rakesh Agrawal, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Antetokounmpo wasted no time in starting to rave about the Heat culture, a phrase that has become a lightning rod for criticism from talking heads around the NBA — especially after the franchise slapped the word across shirts and jerseys. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
Noah Kahan’s rapid phrasing moves over acoustic guitar with a pace that feels almost conversational, gradually building emotional weight. — Brittney Williams, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026 These are shopping questions even when they are not phrased as searches for a particular product. — Max Sinclair, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phrase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrase
Noun
  • Over the decades, though, Reich’s idiom has become part of the mainstream.
    — Joshua Barone, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The first Velvet Underground album, the mid-period Beatles, Kinks, and Creedence Clearwater Revival records, with enough time, seem almost like different components to the same idiom.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • What employers are doing Kostka says there have recently been fewer health insurers in her area to choose from.
    — Alana Semuels, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Hamilton, in response, said that his church changed its policies in response to the scandal and eventually turned the matter over to police.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Current facial recognition systems, originally developed for photographs, can compare faces despite differences in pose, lighting, expression, age, and image quality.
    — Karen Chernick, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Elaborate veils and rigid dress codes gradually gave way to more personal expressions of grief, while black dresses and tailoring became enduring wardrobe staples.
    — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • People use it constantly, for meetings, drafts, code, decisions that used to take longer and even for figuring out how to word a response to a difficult colleague.
    — Adrian Carr, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • That being said, neither of their statements seemed as strongly worded as UEFA’s and focused on not being consulted rather than the substance of the proposal.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • Orantes also expressed frustration with the handling of her father’s arrest — to which federal authorities had clearly alerted some media, who were brought along for the raid.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • When Seyfried expressed a sudden impulse to play Holmes again, the next phase of the documentary began to take shape.
    — Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrase. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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