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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Recent Examples of colloquialism
Gestures, colloquialisms, facial expressions, local cuisine, and the like are not incidental to a tongue but constitute it; sometimes, to capture a word or phrase, in writing or in an algorithm, is to stamp out its meaning.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
What started out as an advertising slogan for Apple more than 15 years ago has morphed into somewhat of a modern day colloquialism: There should be an app for that.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
This could involve helping systems learn colloquialisms and proper usages of terms.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
You would be forgiven for assuming this a playful colloquialism, perhaps revealing a tenderness to the hunt.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
What started out as an advertising slogan for Apple more than 15 years ago has morphed into somewhat of a modern day colloquialism: There should be an app for that.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
This could involve helping systems learn colloquialisms and proper usages of terms.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
You would be forgiven for assuming this a playful colloquialism, perhaps revealing a tenderness to the hunt.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialism
Noun
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India’s community radio environment has seen slow growth but has been important in preserving local dialects and minority music and folklore traditions while also advocating for women’s and children’s rights.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
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Much of this influence played a role in what would become the dialect of the South more generally as Scots Irish settlers and their descendants spread into the backcountry of the Upper and, a bit later, the Lowland South.—
Valerie Fridland,
Big Think,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Much of the spring was spent installing systems — learning calls, adjustments, and terminology—but the tempo picked up noticeably by the final week.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Even members of the commission expressed their concerns that the report was too Westernized in its terminology and its approaches.—
Stijn Joye,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Across collectors, cultural institutions and design circles, perfume bottles are increasingly being recognized not as packaging, but as artifacts — objects that preserve history, identity and the visual language of their time.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
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The milquetoast nature of the statement — with its measured language and nonexistent call to action — and the broader absence of real accountability have nagged at me for weeks.—
Uzma Rentia,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Buildings—a contemporary, fluid interpretation of the Cretan idiom by Pieris.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Like the idiom, their coffee shop hopes to bring surprising offerings to the coffee scene.—
Jenna Thompson
April 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Although research suggests that elementary teachers should focus on helping students learn the sounds of speech, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension strategies, there is little evidence on how well these skills are packaged into the textbooks used in classrooms.—
Shawn Datchuk,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
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The team's next steps are testing with more users across more sessions, expanding the vocabulary, and improving compensation for body movement.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 23,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The home was dubbed Snowman in honor of Bryan’s late brother, Chris, who earned the nickname from the golf slang for a score of eight on an individual hole.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
16 Apr. 2026
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In the original Chicago slang that produced Chad, the female counterpart was typically a Trixie rather than a Stacy.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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