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Synonyms

phrasal

American  
[frey-zuhl] / ˈfreɪ zəl /

adjective

  1. of, consisting of, or of the nature of a phrase or phrases.

    phrasal construction.


phrasal British  
/ ˈfreɪzəl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or composed of phrases

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • phrasally adverb

Etymology

Origin of phrasal

First recorded in 1870–75; phrase + -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But what about phrasal gaffes that make just as much, if not more, sense than their correct counterparts?

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2022

Repetition has an indelible place in Black expressive culture: in the syncopated rhythms of jazz, the phrasal repetitions of the blues and the guttural moans of soul made meaningful by dint of remarkable vocal performances.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2021

The phrasal verb steadily shines as a dismissal, a damnation, and a barked call to attention—an essential caustic shade in the brilliant blue streaks of the dialogue.

From The New Yorker • Aug. 14, 2019

Kafka’s work includes plenty of the hurdles to machine reading recently cataloged by a group of Indian computer scientists, including “complex phrasal structures” and the fact that words can have different meanings in different contexts.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2018

Of this a few verbal and phrasal instances will suffice.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir