as in idiom
a sequence of words having a specific meaning
kids drawing literal representations of the phrase "to rain cats and dogs"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to say
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
he had trouble thinking of how to phrase his question for the visiting dignitary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of phrase
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
Courts have uniformly interpreted the phrase to exclude only children born to people whose allegiance is to another country, such as foreign ambassadors or invading soldiers.
—Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Feb. 2025
Wes Siler, Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2024
With this new endorsement, Swift can assure her fans she’s still got her feminist cred, even as she’s phrased it carefully to give her more Trump-leaning fans room for plausible deniability.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for phrase 
Noun
In the weeks following Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office, the phrase has dominated many For You pages on TikTok.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
Courts have uniformly interpreted the phrase to exclude only children born to people whose allegiance is to another country, such as foreign ambassadors or invading soldiers.
—Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
Here’s a guide to field dressing a deer or similar animal, which is a nice way to phrase gut removal.
—Wes Siler, Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2024
With this new endorsement, Swift can assure her fans she’s still got her feminist cred, even as she’s phrased it carefully to give her more Trump-leaning fans room for plausible deniability.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for phrase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phrase
Noun
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Knowing the correct four-word idioms is a sign of education.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2025
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Glover’s score — for rock band, piano and acoustic strings — evokes pop idioms while politely sidestepping direct quotation.—
Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Timothy Lilley, the father of American Airlines pilot Sam Lilley, says his son was planning for his wedding before this week’s fatal plane crash in Washington, D.C.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
1 Feb. 2025
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Authorities say fentanyl can be sold as pills with some online dealers claiming the pills are Xanax, Percocet and Oxycodone.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacramento Bee,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Wondering how to word invitations if the couple pays?—
Priya Rao,
Vogue,
25 Jan. 2025
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The exemption was specifically aimed at Jackson County and was worded to apply only to charter counties with populations of more than 600,000 people but less than 700,000 people.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Now, Hello! has reported that the episodes were postponed after the duchess expressed her desire to concentrate on the needs of those affected by the wildfires in her home state of California.—
Isaac Bickerstaff,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2025
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Some health professionals have expressed concerns about excessive fluoride intake and potential toxicity.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
29 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near phrase
Cite this Entry
“Phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phrase. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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