Examples of “shibboleth” in a Sentence

noun A word, pronunciation, or custom used to identify members of a particular group and mark them out from outsiders.

• His accent acted as a shibboleth that revealed which region he was from.
• Certain slang terms work as a shibboleth among online communities.
• The secret handshake served as a shibboleth for club members.

noun A belief, custom, or catchphrase repeated by a group that has lost most of its real meaning.

• Critics called the old campaign slogan an empty shibboleth.
• Some economic shibboleths go unquestioned for decades.