phrasing

[frey-zing]

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of phrasing¹

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

Example Sentences

He lifted an eyebrow at her odd phrasing and answered in rapid-fire French that she could barely follow.

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His phrasing calls to mind the way an early hero of his, Lester Young, used to “sing” a song’s lyrics through his tenor saxophone.

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Too stilted in phrasing to our modern poll-tested ears, it was nevertheless, as she said in the video of her retirement announcement, “prophetic.”

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Despite its grand orchestral sweep, Lux is a thoroughly modern album, with cutting edge production and hip-hop phrasing sneaking into Rosalía's stunning, operatic vocals.

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But when participants instructed AI to report the numbers, they were more likely to cheat by phrasing their prompts in a way that would help them maximize their profits.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• diction 
• phrase 
• terminology