Definitions
01a short expression
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. a small group of words that people often use together to express an idea.
n. a brief sequence of words that forms a common expression or idiom.
“He used a common phrase to explain why he was late for work.”
“The speaker peppered her presentation with catchy phrases designed to resonate with the younger demographic in the audience.”
Synonyms
02grammar unit
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Academic
n. a group of words that works as a single part of a sentence.
n. a syntactic unit consisting of a head and its modifiers, functioning as a single constituent within a sentence.
“In the sentence 'the big dog', the words form a noun phrase.”
“The student struggled to identify the prepositional phrase within the complex sentence structure of the legal document.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03music section
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Music
n. a short part of a tune or a piece of music.
n. a sequence of notes that forms a distinct melodic unit, often compared to a sentence in speech.
“The flute plays a beautiful, slow phrase at the start of the song.”
“The conductor asked the violins to play the opening phrase with more legato to emphasize the lyrical quality of the movement.”
04to choose words
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to say or write something using specific words.
v. to express a thought or idea through a particular choice of wording.
“I need to be careful how I phrase this email so I don't sound rude.”
“The diplomat took great care to phrase the rejection in a way that left room for future negotiations.”
05to perform music
C1 · Advanced Music Technical
v. to play or sing a part of a song in a particular style.
v. to execute a musical passage with regard to the grouping of notes and the use of emphasis.
“The singer learned how to phrase the lyrics to make them sound more emotional.”
“The pianist's ability to phrase the complex Bach fugue with such clarity earned her a standing ovation from the critics.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Pochin has since expressed regret for her statements, admitting they were "phrased poorly," yet she stood by the assertion that numerous advertisements do not accurately reflect British society.” “I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is our diversity is our strength," Hegseth told an audience of several hundred people, gathered in the Pentagon auditorium, adding under his watch "we will treat everyone with fairness.” “The OED is a historical dictionary containing more than 500,000 words, phrases and meanings from more than 1,000 years of the English language.” “This phrase alludes to the area between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing both Israel and the Palestinian territories, and is frequently heard at pro-Palestinian rallies.” Etymology
From Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. stock phrase
02. turn a phrase
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/phrase
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0