1
as in slogan
an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product)
we knew that their claim of giving "the best deal in town" was just a shibboleth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in cliche
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
there's a lot of truth in the shibboleth that if you give some people an inch, they'll take a mile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shibboleth
But for those who remain beholden to the shibboleths that once justified that act of national self-harm, the Times’ acknowledgment of the obvious might be valuable.
—
The Editors, National Review, 20 Mar. 2024
Musk’s willingness to upend auto manufacturing shibboleths has also forced his legacy competitors to seek new efficiencies.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
Nothing is sacrificed to the shibboleth of good taste.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Far from being a shibboleth of evil, the company is like any other trying to turn a profit in the Western world in 2023, which comes with its own issues and frustrations separate from the ones posited by Kristof in his viral article.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
The Editors, National Review, 20 Mar. 2024
Musk’s willingness to upend auto manufacturing shibboleths has also forced his legacy competitors to seek new efficiencies.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
Nothing is sacrificed to the shibboleth of good taste.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Far from being a shibboleth of evil, the company is like any other trying to turn a profit in the Western world in 2023, which comes with its own issues and frustrations separate from the ones posited by Kristof in his viral article.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shibboleth
Noun
-
Trump beamed as one cabinet member after another repeated his campaign slogans to claim success in various fields.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2025
-
This is the power of art: taking a concept and exposing its contradictions, turning it into a complex phenomenon rather than a simple slogan.—
Rebecca Ruth Gould,
JSTOR Daily,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
During his two-minute tribute, Dr. Robby — who’s suffering from acute existential exhaustion on top of the day’s extra-fine grind — falls back on a handful of cliches.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The song, the first disco hit and an indelible gay anthem, here feels like a pandering cliche.—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
By uniting these technologies under one banner, Qualcomm better communicates its value to enterprise customers, clarifies product positioning, and positions for long-term growth across the industrial and telecom sectors.—
Steve McDowell,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
By 2026, Brody aims to build an audience of over 50,000 supporters to fuel the first product launch under the N=1 banner.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There’s a truism that outdoor dining was the one most visible silver lining of COVID’s disastrous impact on the city, and that seems plainly so.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2025
-
This isn’t a Giants-specific truism, so the early returns can be meaningful, even in a small sample.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Wednesday's bizarre, inexact, and amorphous Rose Garden rally was a series of endless platitudes.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
-
The Portuguese novelist José Saramago is a master of such ironies, in which a narrator’s bland clichés and platitudes hang in the air, neither quite owned nor quite disavowed, waiting to be ironized by the action of the novel.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
But Lee, wise to how the heart stutters, didn’t pander to audiences with bromides like love is love.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Antihistamines to reduce the body’s immune response (e.g., diphenhydramine) Bronchodilators to open the airways (e.g., albuterol or ipratropium bromide and albuterol) Your healthcare team will continue to assess your health status and give additional medications if needed.—
Carrie Madormo, RN,
Health,
19 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund were hoping to thwart Paris Saint-Germain’s and Barcelona’s charge for the Champions League trophy last week, but neither team were able to spin the underdog trope successfully.—
Brett Koremenos,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
So while many will talk about de-dollarization, a treasury bond collapse, runaway inflation – all the usual tropes – those aren’t necessary for gold to surge.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
My pocket guide said its fruits taste like chestnuts.—
Dina Mishev Max Whittaker,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2025
-
And one of my favorite marriages is with hot chestnuts and a glass of sweet wine.—
John Mariani,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shibboleth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shibboleth. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share