1
as in slogan
an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product)
we knew that their claim of giving "the best deal in town" was just a shibboleth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in cliche
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
there's a lot of truth in the shibboleth that if you give some people an inch, they'll take a mile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 shibboleth
As far back as 2015, when all of Washington was under the influence of unfettered free-trade shibboleths, Trump warned about the dangers of economic dependencies, built up over decades of liberalization, that could be exploited for geopolitical leverage.
—
Andrew Byers, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2024
Musk’s willingness to upend auto manufacturing shibboleths has also forced his legacy competitors to seek new efficiencies.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
Nothing is sacrificed to the shibboleth of good taste.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Far from being a shibboleth of evil, the company is like any other trying to turn a profit in the Western world in 2023, which comes with its own issues and frustrations separate from the ones posited by Kristof in his viral article.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
Andrew Byers, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2024
Musk’s willingness to upend auto manufacturing shibboleths has also forced his legacy competitors to seek new efficiencies.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
Nothing is sacrificed to the shibboleth of good taste.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Far from being a shibboleth of evil, the company is like any other trying to turn a profit in the Western world in 2023, which comes with its own issues and frustrations separate from the ones posited by Kristof in his viral article.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shibboleth
Noun
-
Elias Rodriguez, who chanted pro-Palestine slogans as he was arrested, was charged with their murder and has entered a not guilty plea.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Police quickly contained the situation as around 150 mostly young demonstrators chanted anti-police slogans in a largely calm atmosphere.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
New novels are rightly praised for breaking with traditional forms and criticized for turning to stale formulas and cliches.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Just really not going to sit here and give some cliches.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
At Trinity, an LGBTQ banner hangs in the front window.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Karyn and Kevin Yarris are producing under their Wildwood Entertainment banner, with Farrah West handling casting.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That truism apparently extends to Switch modders as well, at least in the case of Ryan Daly.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
9 Sep. 2025
-
There is a truism that a good place to live is a good place to visit—and that relationship often creates a virtuous cycle of development.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
When asked to divulge what gave him confidence in Volpe long term, Cashman did not point to any specifics but rather platitudes that have not mounted to much success three years into the shortstop’s career.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
These kumbaya platitudes feel out of place when battered and bloody boys are dropping like flies, but that works to the film’s advantage, laying the groundwork for the final rug-pull.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These letters are all like parodies of wokeness and DEI bromides.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
-
However, swapping out classic sodium chloride for sodium bromide is a solid way to give yourself acne, involuntary muscle spasms, and paranoid psychosis.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
While not specifically speculative fiction, the nonfiction narratives that students both read and produce serve as counter-narratives to the oppressive and harmful tropes in media more generally about Black girls and girlhood.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Sep. 2025
-
His jubilation that a serial killer might be loose in town is a familiar, and perhaps accurate, journalistic trope—bad for the world; good for the media—but not one that reflects well on the profession.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Talking about struggles, both past and present, can make the conversation commonplace and combat some of the fear that may fester in an indecisive personality.—
Janine Schindler,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
And with a rise in pro salaries making skipping college more commonplace for America’s teenage prospects, the landscape has further shifted and opened up.—
Molly Geary,
Sportico.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shibboleth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shibboleth. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share