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
Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Throughout history, phrases like this have come up time and again.
—Veronica Angela, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Generic Conventions of Genre Generic conventions refer to indicators such as phrases, themes, quotations, or explanations that enable individuals to identify a certain genre.
—Tham Thi Nguyen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
There are two phrases that have reliably marked every great financial bubble in modern history.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 May 2026
That distinction matters if the goal is communicating naturally rather than simply memorizing phrases.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 24 May 2026
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 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
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
Noun
To encourage environmental awareness, the sanitation department has designed its cans in bright orange with phrases in white lettering inspired by the city’s nightlife.
—Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Throughout history, phrases like this have come up time and again.
—Veronica Angela, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Generic Conventions of Genre Generic conventions refer to indicators such as phrases, themes, quotations, or explanations that enable individuals to identify a certain genre.
—Tham Thi Nguyen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
There are two phrases that have reliably marked every great financial bubble in modern history.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 May 2026
That distinction matters if the goal is communicating naturally rather than simply memorizing phrases.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 24 May 2026
Verb
Like many workplace phrases, its meaning depends on context, relationship and power.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrases
Noun
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Language is often a reflection of the culture that shapes it, impacting tone, idioms, dialects and even silence across regions.—
Ryan Kolln,
Forbes.com,
26 May 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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Mid-cap play Roger Lee, head of equity strategy at Cavendish, says mid-cap stocks could offer value if oil prices continue to fall, as lower energy prices ease pressure on inflation and interest rate expectations.—
Alex Buckmaster,Michael Considine,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
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Congress has not authorized construction of a memorial arch on the federal land managed by the National Park Service, which Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, says is a first step required by statute before the government can move forward with construction.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
Verb
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The successful bipartisan vote, while largely symbolic, sends a strong message to the administration and expresses the sentiment of the lower chamber.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
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This article expresses the opinions of the author and is not to be taken as advice to purchase from or invest in the companies mentioned.—
Karl Freund,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phrases.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrases. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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