colloquial 1 of 2

adjective

kə-ˈlō-kwē-əl How to pronounce colloquial (audio)
Definition of colloquialnext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

colloquial

2 of 2

noun

as in colloquialism

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of colloquial
Adjective
The phrase originated as a colloquial term and was used as early as 2008, according to Oxford University, but rose in popularity in 2014 after New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a poster campaign targeting manspreading. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 27 May 2026 Spaar’s colloquial flippancies only reinforces her fervency. — Literary Hub, 1 May 2026 The women’s game’s limited coverage meant his other honours with Umea — reaching two more UEFA Cup finals and five domestic trophies — were appreciated on a more colloquial level. — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 May 2026 Tabloid Journalism and Audiences Tabloid newspapers not only differ in size from broadsheet newspapers but in the way articles are written; tabloid articles are typically written in a colloquial and sensational style. — Shepherd Mpofu, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for colloquial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colloquial
  1. vernacular
  2. conversational
  3. colloquialism
  4. informal
  5. familiar
  6. idiom
  7. casual
  8. parlance
Adjective
  • Screenplay credits are shared by Damodaran, Joses Imona, and Jennifer Litau, with Litau also handling Tok Pisin and vernacular-language translation duties.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Compiled in 1964 by Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, this four-LP, 83-track box set was intended as an accessible survey of the roots and branches of American vernacular music.
    — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of vernacular
Adjective
  • The film tracks four couples moving through different stages of love inside the same cafe over the course of a summer and autumn, told through low-key, conversational scenes.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Participants chose a book using either a conventional search interface or a conversational agent.
    — Ming Zhu, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of conversational
Noun
  • Her vetting crusades have brought about a new Washington colloquialism.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The show chugged along nonetheless, gradually attracting fans who adored its stark cinematography and weirdo colloquialisms.
    — Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of colloquialism
Adjective
  • Currently, informal waste pickers and scrap collectors make up a large portion of Vietnam’s collection system, so the new policy also will factor in that labor so that workers aren’t left behind.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Jeffries met privately with Kushner, a powerful but informal adviser to Trump, several weeks ago.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of informal
Adjective
  • What makes this year’s numbers different from the slow, familiar erosion of the past several years is the source of the exemptions.
    — A.J. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The familiar last name and near-blank political slate pulled him in.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of familiar
Noun
  • There are plenty of idioms to describe Andrean outside hitter Aleece Ehler’s freshman season.
    — Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Dodgers acquired Skubal in an abundantly predictable bombshell trade with the Detroit Tigers in exchange for a trio of prospects, wanting to test the idiom that a ballclub can never have enough pitching.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of idiom
Adjective
  • Today, Adidas Originals Japan sneakers are seen as a lifestyle shoe, worn for casual situations like running errands or grabbing a cup of coffee.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Some additional family members (also from out of town) came for a casual cookout and brought friends of theirs — informing, not asking, the other family members (not the hosts) only one day in advance.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of casual
Noun
  • In response, the town shifted its marketing to late-night booze-ups and wedding parties (known, in British parlance, as stag dos and hen dos), and subsequently grew a reputation as a sandcastle Sodom.
    — George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In OpenAI's current parlance, a plugin is a bundle of apps, instructions, role-specific skills, and recurring workflows rather than an external application or a folder of sample prompts.
    — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of parlance

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collops
colloquial
colloquialism
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Cite this Entry

“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colloquial. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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