turn of phrase

noun phrase

: a way of saying or describing something
a nice turn of phrase

Examples of turn of phrase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
What an ominous turn of phrase. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 20 May 2026 One tiny turn of phrase left a lasting impact on us. — Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 8 June 2026 King quickly earned the affection of Bulls fans for his ability to transform a quick turn of phrase into a definitive piece of lore for a storied franchise. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026 Describing a bookstore as a place where the walls are lined with pages would be a bit clichéd, but in the case of The Last Bookstore, the turn of phrase becomes quite literal. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn of phrase

Rhymes for turn of phrase

See All Rhymes for turn of phrase

Browse Nearby Words

turn of mind
turn of phrase
turn of speed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn of phrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20of%20phrase. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All