phrase

1 of 2

noun

1
: a characteristic manner or style of expression : diction
2
a
: a brief expression
especially : catchphrase
b
: word
3
: a short musical thought typically two to four measures long closing with a cadence
4
: a word or group of words forming a syntactic constituent with a single grammatical function
an adverbial phrase
5
: a series of dance movements comprising a section of a pattern

phrase

2 of 2

verb

phrased; phrasing

transitive verb

1
a
: to express in words or in appropriate or telling terms
b
: to designate by a descriptive word or phrase
2
: to divide into melodic phrases

Examples of phrase in a Sentence

Noun Answer the questions in complete sentences, not phrases. She used the phrase “I strongly believe” too many times in her speech. Underline the key words or phrases in the paragraph. To borrow a phrase from my mother, I spend too much time “watching the boob tube” and not enough time outside. Verb He phrased his version of the story in a way that made him look good. The question was awkwardly phrased. The singer phrased the music beautifully.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
That’s a phrase that likely makes some people who code for a living uncomfortable, and Wu says some of the negativity toward Cognition comes from anxiety over whether AI will take away software engineering jobs. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024 Bush Hager, who started as a correspondent in 2009, claimed there was one phrase the network banned her from using at the time. Liza Esquibias, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
Ultimately, the 2024 election presents us with the opportunity to pick a definitive side in America's roiling cold civil war, which this column has often phrased as that between the forces of civilizational sanity and the forces of civilizational arson. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 Consider that the way the team phrased the QB dynamic after Wilson signed led Kenny Pickett to ask for a trade. Mike Defabo, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for phrase 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin phrasis, from Greek, from phrazein to point out, explain, tell

First Known Use

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of phrase was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near phrase

Cite this Entry

“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phrase. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

phrase

1 of 2 noun
1
: a brief expression
especially : one commonly used
2
: a small unit of a musical passage usually several measures long
3
: a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not form a complete sentence
"out the door" in "they ran out the door" is a phrase
phrasal
ˈfrā-zəl
adjective
phrasally
-zə-lē
adverb

phrase

2 of 2 verb
phrased; phrasing
1
: to express in words
2
: to divide into musical phrases

More from Merriam-Webster on phrase

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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