Meaning & use
idiomatic
Last updated
Using expressions that are natural to native speakers of a language, or relating to idioms.
See it in a sentence
Her essay sounded idiomatic, as if written by a native English speaker.
Translating idiomatic phrases word for word often produces confusing results.
A note on using this word
Idiomatic language often can't be understood by translating each word literally, since idioms carry meanings beyond their individual words.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “idiomatic”, then compare your use with the examples above.