as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
writes essays in a very easy-to-read, vernacular style
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in idiom
Related Words
2
as in binomial
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of vernacular
Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
The design once enjoyed by Javanese nobility references the sacred Javanese architectural vernacular style of saka guru, which represents the cardinal directions and has spiritual significance too.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
Elizabeth Blasius, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The first episode of season three really served as a soft reboot for Red Dwarf, long before the term entered common vernacular.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vernacular
Adjective
Language, Chandler protests, lives and flourishes in bent rules, vernacular expressions—the unruly stuff of life.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
The design once enjoyed by Javanese nobility references the sacred Javanese architectural vernacular style of saka guru, which represents the cardinal directions and has spiritual significance too.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
The movement and field of preservation and architectural history has since broadened its purview to include the vernacular, the midcentury modern and even the postmodern, yet our data and policies in Chicago remain stuck in the past.
—Elizabeth Blasius, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The first episode of season three really served as a soft reboot for Red Dwarf, long before the term entered common vernacular.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vernacular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vernacular
Adjective
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Their language — marked by rich, tactile detail and a colloquial urgency — has quietly shaped how generations of songwriters articulate devotion.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Although tabloid journalism tends not to focus on issues with broad socioeconomic impact, when these issues are covered audiences may relate to them more easily because they are discussed in colloquial, accessible language.—
Shepherd Mpofu,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
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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There was no third option in this binomial exercise.—
Chantel Jennings,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
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She is credited with naming and cataloging hundreds of native plants in the Hudson River Valley using Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus’ then-new binomial system of botanical nomenclature.—
Jessica Damiano,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Mar. 2024
Noun
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The exhibit’s title is derived from a Spanish colloquialism.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Feb. 2026
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Ways to learn a new language Apps are a good way to learn the basics and proper pronunciation, but many colloquialisms, abbreviations and grammatically informal expressions used by fluent or native speakers aren’t taught on apps or in language classes.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even the name is a misnomer, Mackey said, since the same pain can arise among women who’ve had other procedures, including lumpectomies and lymph node surgeries.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
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Even the name is a misnomer, Mackey said, since the same pain can arise among women who’ve had other procedures, including lumpectomies and lymph node surgeries.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In film parlance, this would be a spoiler.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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Or in Cowboys parlance, think Darren Woodson.—
Bill Jones,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Made with a combination of mesh for breathability and suede for durability, these comfort-first clogs hold up to their brand name.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2026
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But in 1900, Kodak — a brand name made up by Eastman — released the Brownie camera.—
Marcia Greenwood,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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To qualify as critical regionalism, contemporary architecture had to use traditional tropes and local materials in unfamiliar variations, refuse to treat a site as just another blank slate, and use structure in an expressive way, visibly connected to a building’s purpose.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
28 Jan. 2026
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Just don’t let the deniers know that regionalism and sustainability are essentially one and the same.—
Richard Olsen,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vernacular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vernacular. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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