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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Example Sentences
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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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Similarly, when Mari speaks on the phone to her clients, her Miami dialect drops completely.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
3 Mar. 2025
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Declan has been reading up on local lore, revealing that there are 13 different dialects in the area, which also boasts a church made entirely of bundled hay.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This can hamper an enterprise’s ability to differentiate its services, particularly when specialized tasks or industry-specific terminology are involved.—
Eli David,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
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Sailing lessons: Learn basic sailing skills and terminology from the instructors of the Central Florida Community Sailing Program during this six-session class.—
Joe Rassel,
Orlando Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Martin’s shows look and sound for the most part like any other cable news roundtable shows – except for the salty language.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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That includes making space for experimentation, encouraging feedback, and avoiding language that suggests the machine is always right.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There is a French idiom that says when something is so easy, it can be done with ‘les doigts dans le nez’ — the fingers in the nose.—
Liam Tharme,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
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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
Noun
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English speakers also adapted vocabulary from the Vikings.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
11 Mar. 2025
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One minor but effective way to sound more assertive is to nix hedging language from your vocabulary, Barbara Shabazz, PsyD, clinical psychologist based in Virginia Beach, tells SELF.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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An article in the Wall Street Journal outlines Generation Beta’s dilemma: In current teen slang—used by Generation Alpha—calling someone a beta isn’t exactly a compliment.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
7 Mar. 2025
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The topics range from decoding teenage slang to the viral generation challenge.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colloquialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquialism. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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