rhetoric

noun

rhet·​o·​ric ˈre-tə-rik 

1

: the art of speaking or writing effectively: such as

a

: the study of principles and rules of composition formulated by critics of ancient times

b

: the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion

2

a

: skill in the effective use of speech

b

: a type or mode of language or speech

also : insincere or grandiloquent language

3

: verbal communication : discourse

Synonyms

• wind
• nonsense
• gas
• jazz
• oratory
• bombast
• fustian
• grandiloquence

Examples of rhetoric in a Sentence

The media almost never discuss what the sweeping dismantling of public services inherent in the rhetoric of the antigovernment movement would mean in practice. —E. J. Dionne, Jr., Commonweal, 20 Nov. 2009

What they are in reality are the romantic words of a man who needs glorious rhetoric to cover up murderous reality. —Pete Hamill, Cosmopolitan, April 1976

No speech could have been more thoroughly honest in its intention: the frigid rhetoric at the end was as sincere as the bark of a dog, or the cawing of an amorous rook. —George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872

Otherwise he might have been a great general, blowing up all sorts of towns, or he might have been a great politician, dealing in all sorts of parliamentary rhetoric; but as it was, he and the Court of Chancery had fallen upon each other in the pleasantest way, and nobody was much the worse … —Charles Dickens, Bleak House, 1852-53

a college course in rhetoric

the mayor's promise to fight drugs was just rhetoric, since there was no money in the city budget for a drug program

Recent Examples on the Web

The announcement was the culmination of a 33-hour manhunt for the assassin of the popular conservative activist that has roiled the nation in fear and angry rhetoric. —Rick Jervis, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025

The march was billed as a demonstration in support of free speech -- with much of the rhetoric by influencers and several far-right politicians from across Europe aimed largely at the perils of migration, a problem much of the continent is struggling to control. —Brian Melley, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025

When policy, innovation, and business insight align, CCU stops being a piece of green rhetoric and becomes good business. —Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Jimmy Kimmel addressed the shooting death of Charlie Kirk on his ABC late night show on Thursday, this time calling out Donald Trump‘s casting of blame on the rhetoric of the left. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rethorik, from Anglo-French rethorique, from Latin rhetorica, from Greek rhētorikē, literally, art of oratory, from feminine of rhētorikos of an orator, from rhētōr orator, rhetorician, from eirein to say, speak — more at word

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rhetoric

noun

rhet·​o·​ric ˈret-ə-rik 

1

: the art of speaking or writing effectively

2

: the study or use of the principles and rules of composition

3

a

: skill in the effective use of speech

b

: language that is not honest, sincere, or meaningful

rhetorician

ˌret-ə-ˈrish-ən

noun