So to speak
/soʊ tuː spiːk/
An idiomatic expression used to signal that a statement is figurative rather than literal.
Examples
- So to speak, the project was a roller‑coaster of success and failure.
- The city so to speak became a living museum after the festival ended.
- The market so to speak collapsed overnight, leaving investors stunned.
- She felt so to speak caught between two worlds during the transition.
- He was so to speak the backbone of the team, holding everything together.
Meanings