Catchphrase
A short phrase strongly associated with one speaker, character, or campaign.
A catchphrase is a short, memorable phrase repeatedly used by a particular speaker, character, brand, or movement until it becomes a signature. Catchphrases live in stand-up, film, politics, sport, and advertising. Their job is recognition, not insight.
Some catchphrases earn the status of quotation when the speaker is significant enough — 'I have a dream' for Martin Luther King Jr., 'I'll be back' for the Terminator. Others remain pop ephemera that fade with their original platform.
When citing a catchphrase as a quote, the speaker, work, year, and context matter more than usual. The same line in two mouths means two different things.
“I'll be back.”
Keep reading the glossary
A short, vivid extract from a longer speech, designed to be repeated by news media.
A short text written in memory of a dead person — often inscribed on a tombstone.
A short, sharp statement that compresses a truth or observation into a single line.
A short rule for conduct, usually stated as a general principle.