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
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
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Avoid reducing culture to slogans or values campaigns that don’t connect to daily work.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Again is not just a slogan, but a promise.—
Barbara Sprunt,
NPR,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Awarded a second-half penalty against Bremen, Patrik Schick and Exequiel Palacios squabbled over who should take it, in a cliche of team dysfunction.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
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Of course, some cliches are nothing but lazy thinking.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The project was also an effective banner for the Nongame Wildlife Fund, which has since raised more than $13 million.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
3 Sep. 2025
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Looking to begin their title defense, the Eagles are already closing the door on last year’s success and won’t watch their newest banner be hung.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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The 2025 session put a bit of a wrinkle in that truism.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Noun
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The accounts team logs in right on time, and the stupid dance of platitudes that precedes every meeting at every company around the world begins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
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Surreal flashbacks show us how Teddy’s ill mom (Alicia Silverstone) suffered at the hands of Michelle’s company, how the empty corporate platitudes offered in exchange for his family’s horror merely confirmed his belief that there was more to what was being said and what had been done.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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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
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Bromism, or high levels of bromide, was considered after a lab report and consultation with poison control, the report said.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Aside from fake dating, the novel is full of beloved, albeit cheesy, rom-com tropes.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Punishing yet satisfying combat In reliable fashion, Art of Vengeance makes use of dozens of storytelling tropes from across ninja media.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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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 10 Sep. 2025.
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