as in idioms
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 words
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 phrases
Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Although the wording included polite phrases, the anonymity left no room for conversation or compromise.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Which Southern phrases are most commonly misused, misunderstood, or generally in need of some clarification?
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Last year was filled with memorable trends, memes and phrases, some of which were built to last and others that may be better off forgotten.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
During the proceedings the defense alleged Black singer Esther Lee Jones used similar phrases first.
—Andrew Dalton, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2026
It is flanked on all sides by footlong rulers (emblazoned, like the yardsticks, with an assortment of penitent phrases including YES, SISTER and NO, SISTER) marking the hours.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Book the plane tickets, download Duolingo to start practicing your key phrases, and don’t forget to take stock of your luggage situation early.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
The practice of loving-kindness often involves quietly reciting to oneself several traditional phrases designed to evoke metta, and visualizing the beings who will receive that loving-kindness.
—Jeremy David Engels, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
In essence, the Iowa and West Virginia sports cases ask the court to rule whether a transgender girl – a person assigned male at birth who has transitioned to align with their identity as a girl or woman, as the AP Stylebook phrases it – is a girl or a boy.
—Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Extract phrases from calls, build frameworks from notes, convert DMs to posts.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
Without your seed phrases, that money is gone.
—Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Although the wording included polite phrases, the anonymity left no room for conversation or compromise.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Which Southern phrases are most commonly misused, misunderstood, or generally in need of some clarification?
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Last year was filled with memorable trends, memes and phrases, some of which were built to last and others that may be better off forgotten.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
During the proceedings the defense alleged Black singer Esther Lee Jones used similar phrases first.
—Andrew Dalton, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2026
It is flanked on all sides by footlong rulers (emblazoned, like the yardsticks, with an assortment of penitent phrases including YES, SISTER and NO, SISTER) marking the hours.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Book the plane tickets, download Duolingo to start practicing your key phrases, and don’t forget to take stock of your luggage situation early.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
The practice of loving-kindness often involves quietly reciting to oneself several traditional phrases designed to evoke metta, and visualizing the beings who will receive that loving-kindness.
—Jeremy David Engels, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
Verb
To this day, people come up to him and quote phrases his character used to utter.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
In essence, the Iowa and West Virginia sports cases ask the court to rule whether a transgender girl – a person assigned male at birth who has transitioned to align with their identity as a girl or woman, as the AP Stylebook phrases it – is a girl or a boy.
—Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Extract phrases from calls, build frameworks from notes, convert DMs to posts.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrases
Noun
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Like fellow North Carolinians Wednesday and MJ Lenderman—local stars descended from the likes of Lucinda Williams and Drive-By Truckers—Dowdy carves complex new visions into the idioms of his upbringing.—
Jenn Pelly,
Time,
4 Dec. 2025
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For decades, the Grisons had printed textbooks in five Romansh idioms—a baroque solution that invited a more rational one.—
Simon Akam,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Boorsma says this model is generating $20,000 to $50,000 annually for communities in the rainforests of Bolivia.—
Brianna Randall,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The officer stood by his actions and says he was scapegoated by prosecutors.—
James Scholz,
ABC News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If someone in your group expresses safety concerns, those concerns should be taken seriously.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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Peltz has similarly shared the less-permanent ways the couple expresses their love for one another—like trying to spend every night together.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phrases.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrases. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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