phrasing

American  

[frey-zing] / ˈfreɪ zɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of forming phrases.

2. a manner or method of forming phrases; phraseology.

3. Music. the grouping of the notes of a musical line into distinct phrases.

---

phrasing British  

/ ˈfreɪzɪŋ /

noun

1. the way in which something is expressed, esp in writing; wording

2. music the division of a melodic line, part, etc, into musical phrases

---

Etymology

Origin of phrasing

First recorded in 1605–15; phrase + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The phrasing hit its zenith in the second half of 2025, with AlphaSense logging 73 documents with such sentence structure in the final quarter, or more than once a business day.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Roberts wondered whether that phrasing itself suggested confusion, either by counsel or by the trial judge, about whether the objection was then being made or merely marked for later elaboration.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

Her vocal stacks and counter-melodies are full of intricate detail; and her phrasing is exquisite, even on the jazz numbers where lesser pop singers would come unstuck.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

The phrasing is so concrete it feels almost documentary: something hidden becomes visible; something held still begins to move.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2026

In spite of the blunt words and homely phrasing, there was nothing revolting in Katie’s explanations.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Related Words

• diction
• phrase
• terminology