as in dialect
a word or phrase that is used mostly in informal speech; a colloquial expression
His English is very good, but he has trouble understanding certain colloquialisms.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquialism
There is even a colloquialism for those who curry favor among the moneyed on the island of Palm Beach.
—
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
It’s been a year of chaos and colloquialisms, as the internet shaped not only our vocabulary but our entire political system.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
And, like any colloquialism popularized by an internet trend, celebs, brands and even the president himself cashed in on the sensation.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!
—Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
It’s been a year of chaos and colloquialisms, as the internet shaped not only our vocabulary but our entire political system.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
And, like any colloquialism popularized by an internet trend, celebs, brands and even the president himself cashed in on the sensation.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!
—Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialism
Noun
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To prepare, Reid worked with a dialect coach and learned the specific physicality associated with Natalia's condition.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
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In the former Scandinavian territories, there are words that worked their way into the regional dialect.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Including industry-specific terminology and mirroring language from the job advert can strengthen your application and improve your chances of passing initial screening processes.—
Andrew Fennell,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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In computing terminology, System 2 compiles its complex high-dimensional, symbolic code into System 1 executables.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Users will be able to create their AI Twin in a few minutes by taking a selfie and talking for a few minutes introducing themselves and an AI Twin of them is created that can talk, chat, and sound just like them and can talk in 32 languages.—
Elizabeth Stanton,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Advanced tools like optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing (NLP) extract key data— for example, sender details, dates, and document types — instantly. 2.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Swedes actually have an idiom for this phenomenon.—
Anna Moeslein,
Parents,
28 Feb. 2025
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All kinds of regional idioms, local expressions, and culturally specific terms might fade out.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
29 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Ann was ultimately presented with hundreds of sentences, all based on a limited vocabulary of 1,024 words.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
2 Apr. 2025
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Mastering language—with its nuanced vocabulary and conceptual frameworks—amplifies your ability to inspire teams and drive innovation.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Gopnik is a derogatory Russian slang word that roughly translates to thug.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
1 Apr. 2025
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Altman added, referring to a gay slang term for men who are young, boyish and slim.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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