Idiom-Phrase | Commonly Confused Words
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Master confusing words with ease

Idiom vs. Phrase

Idiom

A phrase or expression that has a meaning different from the literal meaning of its individual words

Examples:

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Phrase

/freɪz/
A small group of words standing together, often as part of a sentence

Examples:

Mandrake studied in particular the phrases which Ripper had written.It's the same stats but phrased differently.'Sir,' returned Venus with dignity, 'I accept the altered phrase.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Idiom is a complete expression with a figurative meaning that is understood as a whole.
  • Phrase is a group of words that work together to convey a concept but do not have to be figurative or complete.
  • Idioms cannot be understood by interpreting each word, while phrases can be literal and can often be understood by their constituent words.
  • Idioms are often culturally specific and may not translate directly between languages.
  • A phrase can include idioms, but not all phrases are idioms.
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