expression

American  

[ik-spresh-uhn] / ɪkˈsprɛʃ ən /

noun

• expressions
  plural

1. the act of expressing or setting forth in words.

   the free expression of political opinions.

   Synonyms:

   statement, assertion, declaration, utterance

2. a particular word, phrase, or form of words.

   old-fashioned expressions.

   Synonyms:

   idiom, term

3. the manner or form in which a thing is expressed in words; wording; phrasing.

   delicacy of expression.

   Synonyms:

   phraseology, diction, language

4. the power of expressing in words.

   joy beyond expression.

5. indication of feeling, spirit, character, etc., as on the face, in the voice, or in artistic execution.

   the lyric expression embodied in his poetry.

   Synonyms:

   sign, manifestation

6. a look or intonation expressing personal reaction, feeling, etc..

   a shocked expression.

   Synonyms:

   air, aspect

7. the quality or power of expressing an attitude, emotion, etc..

   a face that lacks expression; to read with expression.

8. the act of expressing or representing, as by symbols.

9. Mathematics. a symbol or a combination of symbols representing a value, relation, or the like.

10. Linguistics. the stylistic characteristics of an utterance (opposed to meaning).

11. Linguistics. the system of verbal utterances specific to a language (opposed to content).

12. the act of expressing or pressing out.

13. Computers. a combination of variables, constants, and functions linked by operation symbols and any required punctuation that describe a rule for calculating a value.

14. Genetics.

    1. the action of a gene in the production of a protein or a phenotype.

    2. expressivity.

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expression British  

/ ɪkˈsprɛʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of transforming ideas into words

2. a manifestation of an emotion, feeling, etc, without words

   tears are an expression of grief

3. communication of emotion through music, painting, etc

4. a look on the face that indicates mood or emotion

   a joyful expression

5. the choice of words, phrases, syntax, intonation, etc, in communicating

6. a particular phrase used conventionally to express something

   a dialect expression

7. the act or process of forcing or squeezing out a liquid

8. maths a variable, function, or some combination of constants, variables, or functions

9. genetics the effect of a particular gene on the phenotype

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Synonym Usage

See phrase.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preexpression
  noun
• reexpression
  noun
• superexpression
  noun
• expressional
  adjective
• expressionless
  adjective
• expressionlessly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• expressions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of expression

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin expressiōn- (stem of expressiō ) “a pressing out.” See express, -ion

Explanation

The look on your face — sad, happy, bored, amused — is an expression. Your expression lets people know what you're feeling, unless you're good at hiding your emotions. Expression comes from a Latin word meaning “to press out” and it can still be used this way. If you make fresh orange juice, your juicer helps with the expression of the juice from the fruit. If someone uses art to express their feelings about the world, that's artistic self-expression: something felt inside has been brought out and shared. We also use expression for ways of saying something, like the expression "what's up?"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

expression expressions

The music’s “demonic” style, with its “fast-paced howling,” could create “a powerful expression of emotional pain and mental illness, among other difficult topics.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

The case has been widely criticised for exemplifying the erosion of freedom of expression in the city.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

The researchers identified particular variants that influenced the female-biased expression of two genes linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

He was walking on stage to greet Belle, played by Kyra Belle Johnson, and relied on her expression to let him know if he was in danger.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Across the room, his expression fell into worry, then into resigned disappointment.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

I studied her facial expressions, her commitment to a bit, her talent for comedy way beyond her years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

A study published August 7 in the Cell Press journal iScience offers a closer look at what happens inside a dog's brain when it sees different human facial expressions.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

If all they achieve is to advance the idea that norms are arbitrary expressions of personal preference, they win big.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Early plays Maddie’s lowest moments with raw sincerity and expressions of utter helplessness — visible cries for help, acted out with total concern and love for the feminine.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

All of these expressions, but especially 0/0, could take on any value you desire them to have, depending on the functions you put in the numerator and denominator.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

• definition
• explanation
• interpretation
• language
• phrase
• remark
• speech
• statement
• style
• term
• voice
• word