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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shibboleth
But for those who remain beholden to the shibboleths that once justified that act of national self-harm, the Times’ acknowledgment of the obvious might be valuable.
—
The Editors, National Review, 20 Mar. 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
The Editors, National Review, 20 Mar. 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
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For example, a sales executive presenting to a technical team might use more precise data and fewer marketing slogans.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Millions of dollars are reportedly being spent on posters, rallies, promotional merchandise and anti-U.S. slogans.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Together’s cast and special effects department alone could make for a substantive horror classic, but the script is freighted with distracting cliches and errant plot developments.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
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And in a twist on the typical movie cliches, guess who plays the ditzy character this time?—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
17 July 2025
Noun
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The actor will join Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe in the action fantasy, which hails from Amazon MGM’s United Artists banner and is slated to get a theatrical release.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
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Some marched with dark banners bearing the names of Nawar, Sara and others killed this year.—
Ladan Anoushfar,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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River Of Constant Change This (above) truism was offered by Jonny Williams, chief digital adviser, UK public sector at Red Hat.—
Adrian Bridgwater,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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Now, as the president considers more forceful action against Russia, his party is sifting through signals of his future direction — even as Trump follows the truism that presidents’ foreign policy rarely conforms to a single identity.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Every week, there’s a new example of the upside-down logic at work in the White House: platitudes that say one thing, policies that portend another.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
25 July 2025
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Walz seemed to agree but then retreated to platitudes.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
25 July 2025
Noun
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In response to these criticisms, colleges and universities have offered bromides – i.e., vague ideas intended to placate, not Bromo-Seltzer which is no longer available at CVS – about building industry or employer partnerships.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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The same rule applies for hearing bromides about chasing dreams and believing in yourself.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Donkey provided comic relief, pathos and friendship to Shrek, with the film praised for its humorous twist on fairy-tale tropes.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Aug. 2025
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To do so, the group used five prompts that reflected common antisemitic tropes and used the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a guiding principle.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The sheer number of stray cats in the U.S. makes encounters like this commonplace.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
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Luxury scented candles, like room sprays for that matter, have the power to elevate any moment: taking it from commonplace to utterly indulgent.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shibboleth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shibboleth. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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