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
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2
as in cliché
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
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Recent Examples of shibboleth
This opens up the possibility that the agency can finally be wrenched away from divisive ideologies and progressive shibboleths and become a streamlined international-development assistance system that truly advances America’s interests.
—
The Editors,
National Review,
5 Feb. 2025
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
Johnson’s novella is a shibboleth among a certain kind of reader (and, typically, writer).
—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
The Editors,
National Review,
5 Feb. 2025
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
Johnson’s novella is a shibboleth among a certain kind of reader (and, typically, writer).
—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shibboleth
Noun
-
For purpose, whether anyone can trace their daily work to the larger picture without being handed a slogan.
-
Fast forward to the semiquincentennial and Americans holler versions of that slogan through windows in real life, just on phones and computers.
Noun
-
This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.
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Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor.
Noun
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The banner was driven from KC to Team Algeria’s base-camp headquarters at the DoubleTree Hotel prior to the team’s departure for Vancouver, Canada.
-
On July 1, two people were arrested after reaching the top of the iconic New York City building, displaying a banner and appearing to stage a proposal.
Noun
-
There’s passable yet indistinguishable music in this exact style dropping every day, but the difference with Chicago’s Fatso is that his lyrics feel like scraps of conversations that communicate his hurt without leaning on platitudes.
-
Victor Lindelof’s pre-match comments smacked of bombast and confidence, the sort of words which are said but not meant, platitudes used to motivate rather than to be sworn under oath.
Noun
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The president used similar bromides in private calls to assuage allies, including Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, before launching the war in February, according to people familiar with the conversations.
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Other testing by the state’s environmental quality department found elevated levels of heavy metals commonly found in oil field wastewater including barium and bromide.
Noun
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The ‘meet cute’ is becoming a trope in how people on social media talk about romance.
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The framing often positions Clark, a white player, as fragile and in need of shielding from predominantly Black opponents, reinforcing racist tropes about Black women being overly aggressive.
Noun
-
Wolff was only the eighth woman to drive a Formula 1 car (four more have done it since); the role, a now-commonplace one that includes driving the simulator during Grand Prix weekends to inform trackside strategy, was created for her.
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The videos are often integrated into larger montages of drone strikes, underscoring how commonplace these drones have become for Russian forces.
Noun
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But together, the whole is blander than the sum of its parts—a subtle banality humans can often implicitly sense.
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Communion does him no favors, though, mostly in its sheer banality.
Cite this Entry
“Shibboleth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shibboleth. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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