Meaning & use
expression
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Meanings
nouncountable
The look on a person's face that shows what they are thinking or feeling.
Grammar: Usually with a describing word: a puzzled expression.
Patterns
- an expression of something
- with a… expression
She had a puzzled expression when she read the note.
His expression changed when he heard the news.
The child wore a serious expression during the ceremony.
nouncountable
A word or fixed group of words used to say something.
Grammar: Has a plural: idiomatic expressions.
Patterns
- an expression for something
- a common expression
'Break a leg' is an expression meaning good luck.
I don't know the English expression for that feeling.
That is a polite expression to use in an email.
nouncountable or uncountable
The showing of feelings, ideas or beliefs through words, art, music or actions.
Grammar: Often uncountable: freedom of expression.
Patterns
- the expression of something
- give expression to something
- freedom of expression
Painting gave her a way of expression that words could not.
The law protects freedom of expression.
The song is an expression of grief.
nouncountablemathematics
In mathematics, a group of numbers, symbols or operators that represents a value.
Grammar: A math term: simplify an expression.
Patterns
- simplify an expression
The student simplified the algebraic expression.
The expression 2x + 3 has a variable.
Word forms
| plural | expressions |
|---|
Common combinations
- facial expression
- His facial expression showed surprise.
- freedom of expression
- Many countries protect freedom of expression.
- idiomatic expression
- Learners often struggle with idiomatic expressions.
- beyond expression
- Her joy was beyond expression.
- give expression to
- The poem gives expression to his anger.
- an expression of thanks
- She sent flowers as an expression of thanks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- look
- Look is more casual, and often describes the face briefly, while expression suggests a more settled impression.
- phrase
- A phrase is any group of words, whereas an expression is a set phrase with a particular meaning.
- manifestation
- Manifestation is a formal word for a clear sign of something, with less sense of deliberate communication than expression.
- utterance
- Utterance means something said aloud, while expression can also be silent, like a look or artwork.
Opposites
Word family
- express verb
- to show or state a feeling or idea
- expressive adjective
- showing feelings clearly
- expressively adverb
- in a way that shows feeling
- expressionless adjective
- showing no feeling on one's face
- expressionism noun
- an art style showing inner feelings
Commonly confused: expression or impression? expression or expulsion?
expression vs impression
An impression is the idea or feeling someone forms about something, while expression is what a person shows or says.
expression vs expulsion
Expulsion is being forced out of a place or a school and has nothing to do with expressing feeling.
Practice
'Piece of cake' is a common _____ meaning something is very easy.
Choose one answer.
An expression is a set phrase with its own meaning. The other options are different words with unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “expression”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.