paraphrase 1 of 2

noun

ˈper-ə-ˌfrāz How to pronounce paraphrase (audio)
Definition of paraphrasenext
as in translation
an instance of expressing something in different words your essays on human rights should have some original thought and not be simply a paraphrase of what's in the textbook

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paraphrase

2 of 2

verb

as in to translate
to express something (as a text or statement) in different words could you paraphrase your diagnosis of my medical condition, using simpler language?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 paraphrase
Noun
Like Irving, Poe had read Biddle’s paraphrase closely. — Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026 Some of the suspects try to minimize their actions with euphemisms or paraphrases; others do so with explanations that the prosecutors find utterly implausible. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
In a place whose people are forced to endure the same struggles as their parents (to paraphrase one of this film’s most aching laments), time will always be a flat circle. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 July 2026 There is an old adage (paraphrased) that the only constant in life is change. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for paraphrase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paraphrase
  1. translation
  2. translate
  3. translating
  4. summarize
Noun
  • That is, with almost no translation required, the exact difference between the Chinese students who used AI like a tutor and kept practicing, and the ones who used it to skip the practice altogether.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Yen Press released an English translation in digital and paperback formats in 2020.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of translation
Verb
  • Industry leaders agree that AI capabilities have yet to fully translate to the frontline.
    — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • There are other aspects of Savinho’s profile that may translate better to a more vertical De Zerbi side compared to Guardiola’s City.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of translate
Noun
  • With a title translating as The Fables Newspaper, the show took place in a forest filled with anthropomorphic animals where the main character, an owl named Meneer de Uil read headlines from a daily paper.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Writing and translating had become my only job.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 May 2026
Definition of translating
Verb
  • To summarize Tua Tagovailoa’s six years with the Miami Dolphins is not simple.
    — Greg Cote August 27, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Fuller’s ideas are hard to summarize, but always seem to reach toward a utopian vision of escaping the drudgery of everyday life.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of summarize

Browse Nearby Words

paraphernalia
paraphrase
paraphrased
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Cite this Entry

“Paraphrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paraphrase. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paraphrase

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about paraphrase

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