mot juste

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.

Gainsbourg is bilingual, but French is her first language; she pauses occasionally in our conversation to search around for le mot juste.

From The Guardian • Oct. 26, 2019

And as Barnum ended nearly a century of trying to edit that sense of wonder into the mot juste, he finally nailed it at the end.

From Washington Post • Oct. 18, 2019

I always think that’s a wonderful fault, if it is a fault—constantly looking for not just the mot juste, as it were, but to give a spin on the mot juste.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 4, 2019

Two years later, “thirst” remains with us as the mot juste for these and other people, moments and things — and the evidence of that thirst has only grown more undeniable.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2017

It occurred to me that 'hungry' was perhaps the mot juste for him; but—hungry for what?

From Seven Men by Beerbohm, Max, Sir