Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

idioms

  • plural
    of idiom.
    idiom
    noun
    an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round for the round table, and that is not a constituent of a larger expression of like characteristics.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Digital technology has long been fertile ground for new English idioms, with terms such as “reboot,” “bandwidth” and “downtime” entering the popular lexicon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

It's hard to miss the evidence: huge, bright ads of chilli-laced dishes and, sometimes, Chinese idioms, in malls, buses and subway stations.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2025

Nothing more comforting than hearing a bunch of guys from San Clemente describe things as “gnarly” or Australians deploy idioms that I could only dream of.

From Slate ● Dec. 28, 2024

She believes wellness culture has become culty in its own right, with wishy-washy aspects from different belief systems amalgamated into social media-friendly idioms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2024

It was true that idioms and nuances and dialects often eluded him in Igbo, but the directorate was always too prompt in sending interpreters.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie