rhetorical

adjective

ri-ˈtȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce rhetorical (audio)
variants also rhetoric
Definition of rhetoricalnext
1
as in oratorical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases you can skip over the rhetorical passages and still get the gist of the essay

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ornate
full of fine words and fancy expressions the new governor delivered a long rhetorical speech about our state's bright future but laid out no specific programs for ensuring it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in linguistic
of or relating to words or language the next war that those two nations fight won't be rhetorical—it will be with bombs and bullets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rhetorical Wagner’s sixty-page bid offered little more than a rhetorical embrace of the Administration’s immigration policies. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 That the actual, original Antifa formed in clandestine resistance to Nazi terror during the early 1930s appears lost amid the rhetorical vagaries of political propaganda. — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 10 July 2026 The question of self-dealing was essentially rhetorical, because the expectation that a president served the country — not himself — was foundational. — Lynn Schmidt, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 His research explores the intersection of international business and corporate political strategy, focusing on the rhetorical, ideological, and historical forces that shape firm behavior. — Yilang Feng, Harvard Business Review, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
  1. oratorical
  2. ornate
  3. linguistic
  4. pontifical
  5. purple
  6. verbal
  7. inflated
  8. grandiloquent
Adjective
  • That wasn’t Newsom’s only oratorical slip-up, although the second one says more about the larger Democratic Party than anything else.
    — Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
  • With his height and his oratorical flourishes, Jackson was a charismatic figure who led protests in Greensboro.
    — Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of oratorical
Adjective
  • Since 2024, a new system of permits has designated four categories of mudlark, a satisfyingly ornate regime for what is, at heart, a deeply painstaking activity.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • In many African countries, couples’ families will exchange ornate jewelry or beads instead.
    — Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 17 July 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • For Dr Txuss Martin, an affiliated lecturer in linguistics at the University of Cambridge, this construction is crucial in deconstructing the linguistic concept of suffering.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • The author of the series bears the same curiosity, quick wit, and linguistic dexterity as the younger man who wrote Zone One and 2006’s messy farce, Apex Hides the Hurt.
    — Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of linguistic
Adjective
  • Leo opened his visit to Pompeii by meeting with sick and disabled people who are cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica in 1901.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
  • That public spat has overshadowed his pontifical tour of four African countries, which ended Thursday with a Mass for thousands of people in Malabo, the former capital of Equatorial Guinea.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of pontifical
Adjective
  • Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass, and garnish with a sprinkle of pink salt and/or a small pink or purple edible flower.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 18 July 2026
  • The aspiring model was blooming in florals in the sculptural look, which featured a strapless bubble top paired with a sheer floor-length skirt, both of which were embroidered with purple and blue floral designs.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 18 July 2026
Definition of purple
Adjective
  • The statement did not address questions about Northwood Ravin’s verbal agreement with Cherry, whether parking is a recurring issue with other projects across the city or how the developer can prevent similar problems in the future.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
  • Those in the strawberry group improved on verbal learning tests and reported better mood and fewer depressive symptoms.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
Definition of verbal
Adjective
  • Check the tires regularly with a gauge to ensure that they are evenly inflated.
    — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 22 July 2026
  • Even accounting for the inflated number of own goals (14, breaking the 2018 record of 12), this summer has delivered for goalmouth entertainment.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of inflated
Adjective
  • There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell).
    — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism.
    — Roy Scranton, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of grandiloquent

Browse Nearby Words

rhetoric
rhetorical
rhetorician
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Cite this Entry

“Rhetorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetorical. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of rhetorical for Spanish Speakers

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