ENGLISH
REFERENCE

phrase

n. · v.
US //ˈfɹeɪz// UK //fɹˈeɪz// phrase
  1. 1 a short expression (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a small group of words that people often use together to express an idea.

    a brief sequence of words that forms a common expression or idiom.

    Example

    He used a common phrase to explain why he was late for work.

    Example

    The speaker peppered her presentation with catchy phrases designed to resonate with the younger demographic in the audience.
  2. 2 grammar unit (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Law

    a group of words that works as a single part of a sentence.

    a syntactic unit consisting of a head and its modifiers, functioning as a single constituent within a sentence.

    Example

    In the sentence 'the big dog', the words form a noun phrase.

    Example

    The student struggled to identify the prepositional phrase within the complex sentence structure of the legal document.
Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 music section (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Music

    a short part of a tune or a piece of music.

    a sequence of notes that forms a distinct melodic unit, often compared to a sentence in speech.

    Example

    The flute plays a beautiful, slow phrase at the start of the song.

    Example

    The conductor asked the violins to play the opening phrase with more legato to emphasize the lyrical quality of the movement.
  2. 4 to choose words (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to say or write something using specific words.

    to express a thought or idea through a particular choice of wording.

    Example

    I need to be careful how I phrase this email so I don't sound rude.

    Example

    The diplomat took great care to phrase the rejection in a way that left room for future negotiations.
  3. 5 to perform music (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Music

    to play or sing a part of a song in a particular style.

    to execute a musical passage with regard to the grouping of notes and the use of emphasis.

    Example

    The singer learned how to phrase the lyrics to make them sound more emotional.

    Example

    The pianist's ability to phrase the complex Bach fugue with such clarity earned her a standing ovation from the critics.
Origin

From Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”).

Word family
Idioms2 entries

© 2026 English Reference