Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Showing results for paraphrase. Search instead for paraphys.
Definitions

paraphrase

[par-uh-frayz] / ˈpær əˌfreɪz /




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.

See Examples For:

To paraphrase the maxim falsely attributed to Lincoln, you can fool a whole bunch of the people for a hell of a long time, but you can’t fool all of them forever.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

To paraphrase Eric Cantona, you can change most things in life but never your football team.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

When looking at the stock market right now, the increasingly obvious question is to paraphrase that catchy 1940s tune: “Is you is, or is you ain’t, in a bubble?”

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

To paraphrase President Trump, what do they have to lose?

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026

This is a paraphrase of Cowee’s story: Late one spring a large part of Tlingit ventured North to Yakutat to trade for copper.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Early in the book, Justice Kennedy paraphrases long conversations with family, friends and mentors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

The passages contain phrases that match exactly, as well as apparent paraphrases and structural similarities.

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 9, 2024

Numa dies clutching a piece of paper that paraphrases John 15:13 in the Bible: “No hay amor más grande que el que de la vida por sus amigos.”

From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2024

When it comes to motivating his children, Guy Fieri paraphrases the immortal words of Shaquille O’Neal: “If you want any of this cheese, you’ve gotta get two degrees.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

But it was not without contention and controversy, strife and bitterness, that the paraphrases made their way into use in the services of public worship.

From Bygone Church Life in Scotland by Various

Schenck paraphrased Suozzi’s remarks: “I don’t tell anybody this, but, you know, I’ve been, I bunked up at C Street.”

From Salon ● May 29, 2026

When the conversation turned to his legacy, Powell paraphrased the opening of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.

From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026

In the latter portions of the book, though, paraphrased conversations raise real questions—especially his conversations with Scalia, whom he recalls as a great friend, which is no doubt true.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

Mr McGrath's daughter, Noeleen, paraphrased Charles Dickens: "He was the best of men and not the worst of men."

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2025

The italics used on this page indicate that the language from the referenced email is paraphrased, not directly quoted.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

These are demanding novels, resistant to paraphrasing, structurally and linguistically challenging.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

On Bob’s podcast you said, paraphrasing, now that you have a special out you can put out more, so people get the opportunity to say I like the second special better while discussing and sharing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

In the proffer, Blanche essentially asked her, and I’m paraphrasing, Why don’t you explain that to me?

From Slate ● Nov. 24, 2025

“We live in a country where we don’t ask what we can do for our country,” Booker said, paraphrasing President John F. Kennedy.

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2025

Bacon writes of ‘the law of nature and the mutual contracts of things’: he is paraphrasing Lucretius.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton




Vocabulary lists containing paraphrase


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training