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
Relevance
as in to say
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
he had trouble thinking of how to phrase his question for the visiting dignitary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of phrase
Hunter Delauder, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
Use simple phrases, and let curiosity open helpful doors today.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Jack Fink, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Because Survivor 42 followed the same format with all the exact same twists from Survivor 41—Prisoner's Dilemma, goofy phrases, Hourglass twist, Shot in the Dark, Do or Die—along with many of the same challenges, the entire season often felt like a rerun.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for phrase
Noun
Premier pitching, sacrifice bunts, timely base running — phrases not regularly used to describe the 2026 Georgia Bulldogs.
—Hunter Delauder, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
Use simple phrases, and let curiosity open helpful doors today.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Verb
Talarico addresses past remarks Talarico acknowledged those comments, calling them poorly phrased.
—Jack Fink, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Because Survivor 42 followed the same format with all the exact same twists from Survivor 41—Prisoner's Dilemma, goofy phrases, Hourglass twist, Shot in the Dark, Do or Die—along with many of the same challenges, the entire season often felt like a rerun.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for phrase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrase
Noun
-
The Suez Canal incident of March 2021 revealed the same pattern in a different idiom.—
Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Probably because at the time many of the time signatures and chordal progressions that Miles used were over the head of a young guitar player still functioning in the blues and folk idioms.—
Steve Baltin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Verb
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The two sisters entered the restaurant, ran behind the counter and attacked the 23-year-old employee after they were given a wrong order, prosecutors said, according to the outlet.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
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Iran, meanwhile, said the agreement included the immediate lifting of the US blockade.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The top-scoring expression matures for an astounding six years in white American oak barrels.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Salaviza described the short form as a pure mode of expression in which authentic emotion is fundamental, while von Döhren – drawing on her parallel career as an illustrator – emphasized how effectively the format can convey feeling through storytelling.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Verb
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In announcing the potential out-of-state move, the NFL franchise carefully worded its language to allow for a different outcome.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
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Beijing’s statement after the meeting with the Iranian Foreign Ministry was carefully worded to not blame Iran for the crisis while also calling for greater efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz.—
Selina Wang,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Creative energy simmers beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to be expressed.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
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South Florida Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar is expressing skepticism over the Cuban government's announcement of sweeping economic reforms that would open key sectors of the island's economy to private and foreign investment.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrase. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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