variants
also rhetoric
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rhetorical
The song had grown out of a bloody domestic conflict, but later in the century its rhetorical force appealed to those with foreign ambitions.
—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
There has never quite been a critical or scholarly consensus about them, but Bellini, whose music is suspended somewhere between Rossini’s precise brilliance and Donizetti’s rhetorical force, can move audiences with his melodic facility.
—
Arya Roshanian,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
Those include rhetorical shifts, partnerships with brokerage platforms and teaming up with companies to develop necessary infrastructure.
—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
American presidents have long used scripture as a rhetorical resource to frame important moments in the nation’s history.
—
NPR,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
There has never quite been a critical or scholarly consensus about them, but Bellini, whose music is suspended somewhere between Rossini’s precise brilliance and Donizetti’s rhetorical force, can move audiences with his melodic facility.
—
Arya Roshanian,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
Those include rhetorical shifts, partnerships with brokerage platforms and teaming up with companies to develop necessary infrastructure.
—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
American presidents have long used scripture as a rhetorical resource to frame important moments in the nation’s history.
—
NPR,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
Adjective
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That wasn’t Newsom’s only oratorical slip-up, although the second one says more about the larger Democratic Party than anything else.
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With his height and his oratorical flourishes, Jackson was a charismatic figure who led protests in Greensboro.
Adjective
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Hand engraving and ornate craftsmanship have also become more desirable as consumers gravitate toward pieces that feel handmade and deeply personal.
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The cathedral, its peaceful cloister, and its ornate crypt are also worth a visit.
Adjective
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That linguistic advantage arrives at a moment when Spanish audiovisual production has already proven its global pull.
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For the last couple of years, the test has been provided in six languages, allowing vital linguistic access to our more than 70,000 students learning English as a second language.
Adjective
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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.
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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.
Adjective
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The pictures Cooley took on Ragusa’s property were of rows of pink and purple native flowers and sunflowers set amid city lights and a dreamy sunset.
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There's also purple for dangerous sea life, such as jellyfish, and double red when a beach is closed for any reason.
Adjective
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Pay attention during the rest of the day to avoid accidents – verbal or physical.
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Antonucci said working with dogs can help patients practice and improve communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal.
Adjective
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Teams were comfortable paying inflated prices to acquire good young players on appealing contracts.
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Once those inflated bills went unpaid, interest, penalties and fees accumulated, often ending in tax foreclosure.
Adjective
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There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell).
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Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism.
Cite this Entry
“Rhetorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetorical. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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