# phrase

/ˈfɹeɪz/ (US) · /fɹˈeɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/phrase
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a short expression

noun · CEFR A1

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. grammar unit

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. music section

noun · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to choose words

verb · CEFR B2

to say or write something using specific words.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. to perform music

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- 'Break a leg' is a common phrase used in the theatre.
- The teacher asked the students to underline the noun phrase in each sentence on the grammar worksheet.
- Although the politician repeated the same carefully tested phrase in every interview, the public remained unconvinced by his sudden shift in policy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.