1
as in vernacular
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
the new coworker's rudeness soon began—to use a colloquial expression—to rub me the wrong way
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conversational
having the style and content of everyday conversation
a colloquial essay on what makes a marriage successful
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in colloquialism
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2024
Williams draws readers in with a modern day love story, sprinkled with colloquial humor and Louisiana voodooism.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 2 Sep. 2024
In a country where nonofficial independent media has been largely stifled under Chavismo—the colloquial name given to the quarter century of political control by the late strongman Hugo Chávez and his successor, Maduro—social-media apps play an important role as a communications lifeline.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2024
Gunn was ranked as Australia’s top B-girl, the colloquial term for a breaker, in 2020 and 2021, but did not make the list in 2024.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colloquial 
Adjective
As for the language, the filmmaker has always used a formal form of Spanish, not colloquial, not naturalistic.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2024
Williams draws readers in with a modern day love story, sprinkled with colloquial humor and Louisiana voodooism.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 2 Sep. 2024
In a country where nonofficial independent media has been largely stifled under Chavismo—the colloquial name given to the quarter century of political control by the late strongman Hugo Chávez and his successor, Maduro—social-media apps play an important role as a communications lifeline.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2024
Gunn was ranked as Australia’s top B-girl, the colloquial term for a breaker, in 2020 and 2021, but did not make the list in 2024.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
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Amaral’s unclassifiable work combines Modernist principles with pre-Columbian art and the vernacular traditions of her country.Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
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Intergenerational internet vernacular, there should be a sociology course on it.Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Kam understood the regional colloquialism assignment!Cindi Andrews and Katie Wissman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024
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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
Adjective
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Whatever the result of those efforts, and whether or not Musk has a formal or informal government role in Trump’s new administration, the last thing that Tesla investors would want to see is Musk being further distracted from his time running Tesla, said Ives.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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According to an informal poll taken by The Athletic, 62% of respondents voted for a lifetime ban; 18.2% elected a suspension of 1-5 years; 17.4% went with a 1-year prohibition; and 2.4% said no further punishment is necessary.Dan Freedman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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These techniques should be familiar to Photoshop users.PCMAG, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
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The setup and relationship dynamics are familiar, but what sets this story apart is that Ranma is a boy whose body turns into a girl’s when doused with cold water because of a mishap during a training trip with his father (hot water turns him back).Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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This brand of idiom deconstruction and crisp sound became a hallmark of Jones’ work from this point forward.A.D. Amorosi, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
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One of its vegan standout idioms is the manakish flatbread with roasted tomato, Biber Salcasi pepper paste, Aleppo and mint.Kaila Yu, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Across professional sports, the game can feel secondary as teams court the spending of more casual fans.Andrew Greif, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
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Dream Pairs Chunky Ankle Booties, $34 with Prime Stone’s casual outfit also signified the return of bootie season.Averi Baudler, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In Jilly Cooper’s world, men conquer, women sigh, the sun shines perpetually on pale-gold Cotswolds mansions with bluebells in bloom, and absolutely everyone is DTF, as the parlance goes.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024
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Through a melodic flow of political parlance and an impressive stable of sprightly actors, creator Debora Cahn stages a spirited play about political relationships — and relationship politics — that never feels stodgy or stupefying, despite an ungodly amount of dialogue.Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The Witch Hazel introduced in those shorts is a good-natured, gossipy witch who takes pride in her child-cooking and potion-brewing skills.Katie Rife, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2024
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And the film is a study in the community, all the little relationships and the gossipy back-biting things that are happening, the young people having their first love affairs and flirtations and attractions.Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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