Definition of dictionnext
1
as in articulation
the clear and accurate pronunciation of words especially in public speaking Shakespearean actors with very good diction

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2
as in language
the way in which something is put into words the spare diction that is the hallmark of the poetry of Robert Frost

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of diction The spice that makes this dish work is Carl's precious decor and fussiness about keeping the place impeccable, communicated with exquisite diction by the burly Scales. Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025 The nearly 6-foot actor was made to look a foot shorter; given a balding, combover haircut; and was forced to adopt a completely new diction and set of mannerisms. Max Gao, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2025 The first three were post-dictions of inflation; the latter four were predictions that had not yet been observed when they were made. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025 Raised in the Highbridge section of the Bronx not far from where DJ Kool Herc threw the 1973 party revered as rap music’s spiritual baby shower, Cardi bookends those songs with experiments in accentuating and contrasting her distinctly New York diction. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diction
Noun
  • There’s a quick-disconnect sway bar underneath for better articulation, but Jeep didn’t go nuts with the hardware.
    Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 26 Mar. 2026
  • This quiet, nuanced articulation of nonbinary experience is one of the book’s many strengths.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Fifty languages are spoken by a dozen ethnic groups, which include my tribe, the Ogoni, the Ijaw (the delta’s largest ethnic group), as well as the Ilaje, Ibibio, Andoni, Itsekiri, and Urhobo peoples.
    Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
  • His presence is especially visible around the March 31 César Chávez Day, with the state Department of Education offering extensive lesson plans, biographies in multiple languages, and service-learning activities.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • During his floor speech Tuesday night, Murphy pointed to the shifting objectives of the war, which have included destroying Iran’s missiles and missile launchers, its nuclear infrastructure and its Navy as well as a change in the country’s regime.
    Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Ortiz is a licensed speech pathologist in California.
    Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The wording was our way of capturing voter sentiment.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
  • While the bill originally included sidewalks and other public passages in its wording, those were removed in an later amendment.
    Dan Raby, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Moira was a constant scene-stealer, with her over-the-top outfits and unique enunciation.
    Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
  • But the tunefulness and, well, enunciation showcased on his third album, Jump Out, are equally related to Chicago drill melodicists like Sicko Mobb, and closer in content and delivery to emo-rap crooners and the hazy absurdism of the Pack than rage.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • With cultural mainstays like rice extract and buzzy compounds like several types of hyaluronic acid, these formulations offer more than straightforward sun protection.
    Deanna Pai, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Current formulations of the drug also persist in the bloodstream for long periods, which can have unintended consequences.
    Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The trip raised hopes among some members on the WhatsApp chain that expressions of empathy toward Palestinians will become more common at Beth El, both from the bimah and in synagogue-wide communications.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The United States not only encourages artistic expression, it’s enshrined in the Constitution, under the First Amendment’s freedom of speech and assembly.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Diction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diction. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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