1
as in expressed
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
I'm trying to couch this delicately: I don't think we should date anymore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of couched
Their statements are simply a summary of the law, although couched with political speech.
—
Michael Szalma, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
To be clear, revenue share contracts are couched as an intellectual property transaction with the school buying a license to use the athlete’s NIL.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Sometimes the case for war’s inevitability is couched in expressions of rue and reluctance.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Usually, the question was couched in politeness, but my students (bless them) had not yet learned to be subtle.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Particularly dangerous is that some of this language has been couched in religious terms, which turns political conflicts into identity ones that are far more difficult to resolve.
—Darren Kew, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
With the most recent idea of a humanitarian corridor couched in the language of protecting Syrian minorities, Israel could be seeking a wider area under more explicit control.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
The web of secrets and confessions, schemes and counterplots, short-term pleasures and far-reaching decisions, are couched in dialogue that is pugnacious, vulnerable, comedic, and sometimes richly poetic, and which feels as spontaneous as it is carefully crafted.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couched
Verb
-
The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Bowen School of Law or UALR.—
-
Franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched for the final games of the season, expressed openness to moving onto another team in search of a fresh start in season-ending interviews this week.—
Verb
-
As the lead guide crouched down, an elephant walked around a bend in the river, maybe 30 metres ahead of us.—
-
Matthews crouched with his back to the rest of the play, a step away from the goal line along the boards.—
Verb
-
In Kyiv, a CNN reporter said that the attack began around midnight, starting with multiple drone strikes on residential buildings.—
-
The president said Thursday that the two mortgage giants under government conservatorship, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have $200 billion in cash that will be used to make the mortgage bond purchases.—
Verb
-
The opening days of the trial included dramatic replays of the initial emergency calls, testimony from teachers who huddled with terrified students, and the mother of one of the victims recounting how her daughter had asked to leave school early that day.—
-
At 77 — huddled inside A&R Studios, part of the historic Jim Henson studio lot that his bandmate John Mayer had recently purchased — those memories were still fresh.—
Verb
-
Explain the mechanism that Washington used to compel quarterback Demond Williams to return because the consequences were too onerous to ignore, like LSU losing out on $4 million in NIL for 2026 or however it’s phrased.—
-
This suggests that the models’ internal beliefs are skewed based on how questions are phrased, or by their topics.—
Verb
-
These should not be concerns articulated in a world-class scientific institution.—
-
Madonna, Stefano Gabbana, and Domenico Dolce have lived a 40-year-long love story that’s articulated itself on runways and continent-hopping tours.—
Verb
-
In a press statement, Kratos Defense stated that Northrop Grumman will provide an advanced mission kit for the Valkyrie.—
-
His attorney stated that this was no more than a nasty bar fight.—
Verb
-
The first claim drew a swift, if carefully worded, denial from the school, followed months later by Hudson’s threat of litigation, which has yet to materialize.—
-
The 2010 exemption specifically targeted Jackson County and was worded to apply only to charter counties with populations between 600,000 and 700,000 people, a population level Jackson County has now surpassed.—
Cite this Entry
“Couched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couched. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
