1
as in wind
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
the mayor's promise to fight drugs was just rhetoric, since there was no money in the city budget for a drug program
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in poetry
the art or power of speaking or writing in a forceful and convincing way
great leaders have often been masters of rhetoric, which they have used for both good and ill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rhetoric
Critics, including her fellow conspiracist Alex Jones, have raised alarms about her rhetoric.
—
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
All eyes are on the talks this weekend in Islamabad, with the rhetoric from both sides remaining sharp.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
By Tuesday, the rhetoric had escalated.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
There’s more to answer for than just racist rhetoric and its reach.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetoric
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
All eyes are on the talks this weekend in Islamabad, with the rhetoric from both sides remaining sharp.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
By Tuesday, the rhetoric had escalated.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
There’s more to answer for than just racist rhetoric and its reach.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetoric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetoric
Noun
-
Placing crews in strategic locations before power shutoffs, using drones and helicopters and exploring ways to automate line inspections can help speed up restoration of electricity after wind storms are over.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Residents can be ready for wind gusts of up to 50 mph.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This annual prize recognizes literary achievement and promise in fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry written in the English language from anywhere in the world, and is offered as an unrestricted grant of $175,000.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Several local organizations and businesses will be open along the route, offering live music, poetry, food pop-ups and family-friendly activities about climate change and ecology.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With Sporting well aware of their underdog status and Arsenal feeling fragile after successive defeats, all of this respect nonsense led to, frankly, a dog of a game that felt like anything but a Champions League quarter-final.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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And thus one of the more wholesome and fun events in the White House calendar was besmirched by a man who simply cannot stop with the zero-sum partisan nonsense even when surrounded by impressionable young faces.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The conflict has snarled access to oil and gas, driving up prices and sparking fears among some economists about a potential recession.—
Mary Ramsey
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Along the coast, exposure to saltwater accelerated corrosion and fuel escaped from the rusty gas tanks and leaky pipes into the groundwater.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For the evening, head to Frenchmen Street for dinner and live jazz at The Spotted Cat or Snug Harbor.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Two struggling male musicians witness a mob murder and flee by disguising themselves as women in an all-female jazz band.—
Rick Mauch
April 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite Berset’s oratory, one day later at Series Mania Disney+ announced an accord to share content from Spanish state broadcaster RTVE.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The Catholic Church’s work with young people in Italy largely relies on oratories, parish spaces where children and teenagers gather after school for sports and recreational activities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Beirut — Strip away the bombast and superlatives.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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People who dislike Minnelli’s singing maintain that her outer bombast conceals an inner void.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Freed of the architectural fustian of the Frick’s Gilded Age home, the art breathes anew, each painting in its own world rather than entwined with others as part of a decorative ensemble.—
Philip Kennicott,
Washington Post,
6 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Rhetoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetoric. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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