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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of phrase
Abreanna Blose, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Very rarely is the phrase used to describe a character’s physical appearance or activity, as is the case with Austen’s Elizabeth.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
John Updike, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
Slang moves fast, and already there are terms from earlier this year that are phrasing out of popularity.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for phrase
Noun
Do a reverse image search of the pet's photo and search for a distinctive phrase in the description.
—Abreanna Blose, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Very rarely is the phrase used to describe a character’s physical appearance or activity, as is the case with Austen’s Elizabeth.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
But this is an inane question, inanely phrased, because your letters so admirably inform me of your version of tricks.
—John Updike, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
Slang moves fast, and already there are terms from earlier this year that are phrasing out of popularity.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for phrase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrase
Noun
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Because the construction is a natural and graceful part of our English idiom.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
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Human reviewers still refine idiom and theology, but the transformation in speed will be similar to the jump from quill to printing press.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Despite staff layoffs affecting about 300 employees, industry analysts say Condé Nast still faces high pressure to continue restructuring and invest in digital innovation to survive long term headwinds.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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General maintenance takes place every four years and was last carried out in 2022, Bogas said, adding that weekly and monthly maintenance and daily inspections are also carried out.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Conviction rates for lese majeste stand at around 80%, and prosecutors indict around 99% of the time — a huge percentage given the law is vaguely worded and what constitutes lese majeste is not even legally defined, TLHR said.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
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Also unlike traditional search, AI models give different answers to the same questions when they’re worded slightly differently.—
Rashi Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Regardless of where the fans stand, Williams likes to express himself in that way.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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Canadian Pacific Kansas City de Mexico, the railway, expressed its condolences to the victims' families and called on drivers to respect road signs and stop orders at railroad crossings.—
Lizbeth Diaz,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrase. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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