phrase 1 of 2

noun

ˈfrāz How to pronounce phrase (audio)
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

Relevance

phrase

2 of 2

verb

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

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
That one phrase tries to create an instant emotional connection. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 When this place is eventually gone — a phrase that feels truly bizarre given the environment this summer and the half-century preceding it — the lasting images will be the seas of red. — Sam McDowell July 3, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
Verb
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
  1. idiom
  2. say
  3. expression
  4. word
  5. express
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
Verb
  • Nguyen said that led to an epiphany — and the creation of an Atlanta-area business that has caught the attention of social media scrollers, celebrity clientele and global automakers.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
  • Giselle Garcia, program director for NorCal Resist, said the arrest data largely tracks with the organization’s own informal counts though emphasized much enforcement goes unaccounted for if families aren’t willing to speak up.
    — Mathew Miranda July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of say
Noun
  • The intuitive Moon moves through your 8th House of Intimacy, squaring powerful Pluto in your 5th House of Creativity, so deeper feelings may meet a desire for expression, romance, or play.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
  • Código 1530, however, decided to age its new expression for a full 15 years before giving it a relatively brief finish, making this one of the oldest (and most expensive) tequilas currently on the market.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 July 2026
Definition of expression
Verb
  • Still, the way the ordinance is worded also prohibits teaching yoga for free, Pease pointed out.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Subtle elements, such as how profiles are presented, how events are curated or even how notifications are worded, contribute to this.
    — Gideon Kimbrell, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of word
Verb
  • Several organizations of institutional investors and auditing professionals, as well as a tsunami of individual investors, expressed opposition.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Some former candidates in this year's primary contests for governor, the Senate and the House have already expressed interest in replacing Platner on the ballot.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Definition of express

Browse Nearby Words

photos
phrase
phrased
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrase. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on phrase

Nglish: Translation of phrase for Spanish Speakers

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 fulcrum

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