as in mode
a distinctive way of putting ideas into words
in the poet's somewhat affected locution, word order is often reversed and so we have "the sea serene"
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Recent Examples of locution
Confucius says—an old-fashioned locution, perhaps, but appropriate here—never to take interest in feats of strength.
—
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
That archly strangled locution, the ceaseless scorn: the vendor’s voice nags at the former Dean Street boy.
—Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 27 Sep. 2023
That mysterious locution and the lack of additional details raised the possibility that something more than the sniffles might be ailing the Boss.
—Stuart Munro, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2023
In diplomatic memorandums, officials avoided the term military base; the preferred locution was joint communications facility.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 15 June 2022
With its mess of divergent voices, picture-poems, and eccentric locutions, the result is baffling, beautiful, and always fascinatingly Notley.
—David Wallace, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2020
President Lyndon Baines Johnson was a retro Texan by birth and locution.
—Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019
Consider common appeals to allyship and altruism; such locutions convey a sort of optional quality, a moralistic tone, and unreliable trendiness.
—Astra Taylor, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2019
On this night, Dylan made every word count, and sang with a blues master’s locution.
—Greg Kot, chicagotribune.com, 31 Oct. 2019
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
That archly strangled locution, the ceaseless scorn: the vendor’s voice nags at the former Dean Street boy.
—Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 27 Sep. 2023
That mysterious locution and the lack of additional details raised the possibility that something more than the sniffles might be ailing the Boss.
—Stuart Munro, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2023
In diplomatic memorandums, officials avoided the term military base; the preferred locution was joint communications facility.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 15 June 2022
With its mess of divergent voices, picture-poems, and eccentric locutions, the result is baffling, beautiful, and always fascinatingly Notley.
—David Wallace, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2020
President Lyndon Baines Johnson was a retro Texan by birth and locution.
—Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019
Consider common appeals to allyship and altruism; such locutions convey a sort of optional quality, a moralistic tone, and unreliable trendiness.
—Astra Taylor, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2019
On this night, Dylan made every word count, and sang with a blues master’s locution.
—Greg Kot, chicagotribune.com, 31 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for locution
Noun
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This obligation also affects postal and express carriers transporting goods using these modes of transport, according to the European Commission.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2025
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When this mode isn’t engaged, the 3’s weight becomes more apparent.—
Trinity Francis,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The family of a woman who was strangled to death last year during a conjugal visit with her husband at a Northern California prison has called for reforms after a second woman was killed in a similar manner.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2025
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The super app’s main value-add is orchestrating these services seamlessly, mediating payments and user data in a user-friendly manner.—
Zennon Kapron,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The medium pile height offers a balance between style, comfort, and practicality.—
Megan Schaltegger,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Mar. 2025
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This is about style preference and body type, not gender.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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However, Spring-Summer 2025 is the perfect excuse to break away from the traditional and finally dare to try footwear in solid or pastel tones that are trending this season.—
Renata Joffre,
Glamour,
29 Mar. 2025
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Amid growing economic anxieties at home and abroad, Trump this week downplayed the scale of the tariff rates in store for other nations ‒ a noticeable change in his tone after building the tariffs up for weeks.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Associated Press reported that the hollow-point bullet damaged Selena's right shoulder, lung veins and a major artery in her collarbone.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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The team say that S. charybdis should be categorized in a separate family, however, because the ancient wasps have a pattern of veins in their hind wings that is unique.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Locution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/locution. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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