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

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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
When a word or phrase contains exactly one of each of the five vowels (apologies to the letter Y), it’s described as supervocalic. — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026 People can practice for a job interview by answering questions about their experience, asking for feedback and trying different ways of expressing an unfamiliar phrase. — Antonio Perez-Nunez, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
That term has taken on a life of its own, as people are making dances to phrase and using it in conversation. — Moises Mendez Ii, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Hafley came up with his point guard comparison months ago after watching film of Sieler repeatedly setting up his teammates for sack or, phrased more appropriately, dishing out assists to his teammates. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phrase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrase
  1. idiom
  2. say
  3. expression
  4. word
  5. express
Noun
  • 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
  • Cinema is, after all, a language, and Belgian filmmakers come from a country built on the need to understand language as a bridge—between its regions, its people, and its idioms.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of idiom
Verb
  • Those are a lot of big promises, but hundreds of shoppers say Lancôme’s Idôle 3 Serum Supertint Skin Tint delivers.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Anderson said those households are now choosing items with more protein, and those that give consumers greater control over portion size.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of say
Noun
  • Macho Cowboy At the top of the pinnacle of power within the telenovela structure is the macho cowboy whose high emotional expressions of jealousy, anger, and confrontation are accepted as passionate acts of strength or romantic gestures.
    — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • For Summer Nacewicz, Alo’s executive vice president of marketing and creative, the store will become a full expression of the brand’s belief in how Alo wants to redefine luxury.
    — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of expression
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
Definition of word
Verb
  • The Republican president took to social media Sunday to express his displeasure with the decision.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • These developments follow Anthropic’s call to slow the pace of model development earlier this month — a proposal that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed support for.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of express

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Cite this Entry

“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrase. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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