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
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2
as in cliché
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
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Recent Examples of shibboleth
In a North Hollywood podcast studio last week, Gill Tejada and his co-host, Boo Boo, trashed liberal shibboleths, like any good Trumpers.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
As far back as 2015, when all of Washington was under the influence of unfettered free-trade shibboleths, Trump warned about the dangers of economic dependencies, built up over decades of liberalization, that could be exploited for geopolitical leverage.
—Andrew Byers, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 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
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
As far back as 2015, when all of Washington was under the influence of unfettered free-trade shibboleths, Trump warned about the dangers of economic dependencies, built up over decades of liberalization, that could be exploited for geopolitical leverage.
—Andrew Byers, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 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
See All Example Sentences for shibboleth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shibboleth
Noun
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In her hometown of Nara, souvenir shops sell towels emblazoned with her slogans, key chains, stationery, even cookies bearing her likeness alongside that of her political idol, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Each year, brands seem to outdo themselves with bigger celebrities, funnier advertisements and catchier slogans.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Financing and production banner Jovera Pictures has hired former eOne Vice President of Film Rainer Grupe to its team.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
So what has gone wrong at a program that has not finished with a losing record since 2010, and that has hung a Big Ten title banner in four of the previous five seasons?—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What’s happening now underscores that truism.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Mayors of other county cities have recently validated that truism.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Google is famous for dodging questions by reciting platitudes on its calls.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Too often, sustainability messaging swings between vague platitudes and overwhelming detail.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Despite their clear affection for these women, the Dardenne brothers never sugarcoat their characters’ unenviable circumstance or latch onto phony bromides to alleviate our anxiety.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Doping the Undopable The work focuses on cesium lead bromide nanoparticles known as CsPbBr3.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The cast includes Black Ops star Hammed Animashaun, Emma Sidi, who played Rose Matafeo’s flatmate in Starstruck, and Al Nash, a viral comic who satirizes social media tropes.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
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Portraying Black people as monkeys or apes is a racist trope with historical roots in eugenics.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The most commonplace and the most concerning, as a consequence, come by way of phishing campaigns.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The 1945 War Brides Act largely diverged from these previous measures, helping to dismantle the Asian exclusion made commonplace in the 19th and early 20th centuries.—
Anna Storti,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Using the book as a conscious tool of image-building is a more recent phenomenon, however, leading critic Jaime Fuller to lament the banality of such tomes in his 2019 Literary Hub article.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
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The film is a harrowing look at the banality of evil in its most dangerous form.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shibboleth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shibboleth. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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