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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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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as in colloquialism
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of colloquial
Cristina Mutchler, Health, 6 Oct. 2024
Some of those species can turn up in bouillabaisse, added to the soup as an ingredient with the colloquial name of gurnard.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024
In New York City, where people move very quickly, there’s a colloquial expression that timing is everything.
—Gary Stern, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
As for the language, the filmmaker has always used a formal form of Spanish, not colloquial, not naturalistic.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colloquial 
Adjective
The term shart is a colloquial reference for a wet fart, or when watery stool accidentally slips out while passing gas.
—Cristina Mutchler, Health, 6 Oct. 2024
Some of those species can turn up in bouillabaisse, added to the soup as an ingredient with the colloquial name of gurnard.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024
In New York City, where people move very quickly, there’s a colloquial expression that timing is everything.
—Gary Stern, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
As for the language, the filmmaker has always used a formal form of Spanish, not colloquial, not naturalistic.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
Adjective
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Also remember that the words terror attack and terrorists were not part of our vernacular.Sean McManus, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024
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In Gstaad, the men have joined forces to disrupt the local vernacular, reimagining two classic chalets as vessels for contemporary innovation.Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 4 Dec. 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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Trump's team and informal advisers have engaged in detailed discussions with representatives from the two Latin American governments, sometimes facilitated through business contacts, about accepting returning migrants, according to Bloomberg.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
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The extent of the damage has been difficult to ascertain, in part because of the prevalence of undocumented migrants living in informal dwellings.Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Tina’s situation is a familiar one for many small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners.Lechi (Richard) Zhang, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
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This northside Japanese steakhouse serves familiar Japanese and Japanese-American dishes like tempura, katsu, hot pot, sushi and hibachi dishes.Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Out of the box, human language is ambiguous and nuanced with idioms, sarcasm or cultural references, challenging LLMs to interpret correctly.Son Nguyen, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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The versatile, always-all-in Mars is a worthy lodestar for Rosé and Rosie, an album that whirls through 21st-century pop idioms with aplomb even as its heroine ruminates on heartache and anxiety.Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The style is timeless and designed to be worn from day to night, so plan to pair your new pants with everything casual and dressy, including T-shirts, button-downs, sneakers, and even heeled boots.Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Dec. 2024
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Head downstairs to take advantage of their full, seafood-centric menu, or for a more casual experience, make the short walk to Black Sheep for brick-oven pizza served dockside.Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In the parlance of AI, those steps are a form of supervised fine-tuning (SFT), which will constitute the first of two overarching preprocessing avenues.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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Think of the faster speed of sending over data, or higher bandwidth in chips parlance, as a highway.Wayne Chang, CNN, 8 Dec. 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 31 Dec. 2024.
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