C2idiomcommunicationIELTS-friendly
in so many words
USUK
directly and clearly; mostly used to say that something was suggested but not actually said
Nearly always negative. As a short reply, 'Not in so many words' means 'not directly, but that was the idea'.
In context
She didn't say in so many words that she was unhappy, but her face told me.
He never told me in so many words, but I knew he wanted to leave the company.
More idioms about communication
- a bone of contentiona subject that people keep arguing about
- a broken recordsomeone who keeps repeating the same thing in an annoying way
- a heart-to-heartan honest, private conversation about personal feelings
- a moot pointUK: a question still open to argument. US: a question that no longer matters in practice.
- a red herringa fact or idea that takes attention away from the real issue