Synonyms

so to speak

Idioms

Phrased like this, in a manner of speaking, as in He was, so to speak, the head of the family, although he was only related by marriage to most of the family members. This term originally meant “in the vernacular” or “lower-class language” and was used as an aristocrat's apology for stooping to such use. [Early 1800s] Also see as it were.

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.

He has not been tested, so to speak.

From Literature

For theme parks, after all, can jump the shark, so to speak.

From Los Angeles Times

"He cut open both sides of my leg, so it was open and let it breathe so to speak. He saved me."

From BBC

Yet in choosing to end at the beginning, so to speak, and focus on the early Cold War, Mr. Grace avoids having to assess how the new arrangement subsequently performed.

From The Wall Street Journal

So when one comes up to a beetle wearing its own chemical suit, so to speak, it accepts it.

From Los Angeles Times

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