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make a statement



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Idioms and Phrases

Create a certain impression; communicate an idea or mood without using words. For example, The furnishings here make a statement about the company . [Mid-1900s]

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More About Make A Statement

What does make a statement mean?

Make a statement is a phrase that means to express an idea or mood without using words, as in Adam made a statement about how he felt about his opponent when he didn’t shake their hand.

Sometimes, an adjective or another modifier is used with statement to more precisely say what impression is intended, as in The students made a defiant statement when they refused to follow the new dress code.

The figurative make a statement can be confused with the literal use of make a statement, meaning to deliver a speech, announcement, or similar.

Example: The bold color choices really make a statement about the fashion designer’s creative vision.

Where does make a statement come from?

The phrase make a statement has been used at least since 1970. The phrase uses an older, figurative sense of the word statement, meaning “the communication of an idea, position, mood, or the like through something other than words,” which dates back to the 1800s.

You can make a statement through your choices or actions either intentionally or unintentionally. Often, make a statement is used when someone makes a bold or unexpected impression, such as when a  sports team puts on a superb performance that displays its dominance.

Did you know … ?

What are some words that share a root or word element with make a statement?

What are some words that often get used in discussing make a statement?

How is make a statement used in real life?

Make a statement is a common phrase that means to express an idea or belief without using words.

 

 

Try using make a statement!

Is make a statement used correctly in the following sentence?

The controversial musician really made a statement when she refused to accept the award for her new album.

More About Make A Statement

What does make a statement mean?

Make a statement is a phrase that means to express an idea or mood without using words, as in Adam made a statement about how he felt about his opponent when he didn’t shake their hand. 

Sometimes, an adjective or another modifier is used with statement to more precisely say what impression is intended, as in The students made a defiant statement when they refused to follow the new dress code. 

The figurative make a statement can be confused with the literal use of make a statement, meaning to deliver a speech, announcement, or similar.

Example: The bold color choices really make a statement about the fashion designer’s creative vision. 

Where does make a statement come from?

The phrase make a statement has been used at least since 1970. The phrase uses an older, figurative sense of the word statement, meaning “the communication of an idea, position, mood, or the like through something other than words,” which dates back to the 1800s.

You can make a statement through your choices or actions either intentionally or unintentionally. Often, make a statement is used when someone makes a bold or unexpected impression, such as when a  sports team puts on a superb performance that displays its dominance.

Did you know … ?

What are some words that share a root or word element with make a statement

What are some words that often get used in discussing make a statement?

How is make a statement used in real life?

Make a statement is a common phrase that means to express an idea or belief without using words.

Try using make a statement!

Is make a statement used correctly in the following sentence?

The controversial musician really made a statement when she refused to accept the award for her new album.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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