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
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
The fine line between being relatable to your audience and appearing unprofessional by going against consumer preferences to formality by using slang, colloquialisms, or informalities can potentially damage brand growth with both new and existing consumers.
—Gary Drenik, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
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
The fine line between being relatable to your audience and appearing unprofessional by going against consumer preferences to formality by using slang, colloquialisms, or informalities can potentially damage brand growth with both new and existing consumers.
—Gary Drenik, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for colloquialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquialism
Noun
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That potential exists even moreso in soccer than in most other North American pro sports, given the limitless potential for mixing of languages, accents and even disparity of meanings based on dialect.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Madison, who won the Oscar for Best Actress, learned Russian, worked with a dialect coach to master the Brooklyn accent, shadowed real dancers, and even installed a pole in her living room for the role.—
Kalia Richardson,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Honeywell Honeywell was the rare Charlotte-area Fortune 500 firm that kept its Inclusion and Diversity section and terminology in this year’s 10-K filing.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2025
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Bates is overseeing other cases related to the administration, including one over gender terminology that led Republican Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee to introduce an impeachment resolution against him.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Not to be confused with the dual language program for English learners (EL), Ambroiggio said approximately 7,000 students whose first language is other than English are in a program to develop their English skills to a level with their peers.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
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But, Offit said, Makary’s language has damaged public trust in health institutions, including the one he’s been picked to lead.—
Matthew Perrone,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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While often used sarcastically to mock true believers, the idiom reflects Italy’s enduring ambiguity toward Fascism, even 80 years after its fall.—
Mattia Ferraresi,
airmail.news,
1 Feb. 2025
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Knowing the correct four-word idioms is a sign of education.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In these and the more recent scores at MIT, the semiotic vocabulary of the Lakȟóta shape kit functions as abstract notations for musicians and performers to interpret.—
Christopher T. Green,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
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My mom is an avid (and award-winning) quilter, so quilting terms have always been part of my vocabulary.—
Sam Corbin,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Today’s teens face enough pressure without new slang emerging online to shame them.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
3 Feb. 2025
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Plus, since most of the app's content is in Mandarin, subtitles are suddenly rampant — as are posts from Americans who want to learn the language, including by exchanging translations of popular slang phrases with Chinese commenters.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
15 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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