articulate

adjective

ar·tic·u·late | \ är-ˈti-kyə-lət

Definition of articulate

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : expressing oneself readily, clearly, and effectively an articulate teacher also : expressed in such a manner an articulate argument

b : divided into syllables or words meaningfully arranged : intelligible an articulate cry/utterance

c : able to speak So furious was he that he was hardly articulate …— Arthur Conan Doyle

2a : consisting of segments united by joints : jointed articulate animals

b : distinctly marked off an articulate period in history

articulate

verb

ar·tic·u·late | \ är-ˈti-kyə-ˌlāt

articulated; articulating

Definition of articulate (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to give clear and effective utterance to : to put into words articulate one's grievances He found it hard to articulate his feelings.

b : to utter distinctly articulating each note in the musical phrase

c : to give definition to (something, such as a shape or object) Eight shades of gray were chosen to articulate different spaces.— Carol Vogel

d : to give shape or expression to (something, such as a theme or concept) a drama that uses eerie props to articulate a sense of foreboding

2a : to unite by or as if by means of a joint : joint

b : to form or fit into a systematic whole articulating a program for all school grades

intransitive verb

1 : to utter clear and understandable sounds

2 : to become united or connected by or as if by a joint Most bones articulate with other bones in one or more places.

Other Words from articulate Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About articulate

Other Words from articulate

Adjective

articulately adverb

articulateness noun

Verb

articulative \ är-ˈti-kyə-lə-tiv

, -ˌlā- \ adjective

articulator \ är-ˈti-kyə-ˌlā-tər

\ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for articulate

Synonyms: Adjective

Synonyms: Verb

enunciate

Antonyms: Adjective

Examples of articulate in a Sentence

Adjective But he clearly adored his quick-witted and mercilessly articulate elder daughter. Contrary to feminist accounts of her patriarchal imprisonment, Emily Dickinson's objections to her father's strictures had an affectionate tone … — Christopher Benfey, New York Review of Books, 17 Jan. 2002 The engaging and articulate Bol makes campers realize how fortunate they are to have the freedoms enjoyed in America, and he emphasizes the importance of capitalizing on their opportunities to get the most out of life. — Chris Broussard, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2002 Among the most articulate critics of the tests are the boycotting students, who complain about narrowing opportunities and shrinking curricula. — Peter Schrag, Atlantic, August 2000 She's an intelligent and articulate speaker. He was very articulate about his feelings on the subject. The baby is beginning to form articulate words and phrases. Verb She was shocked, she told me, to see that he insisted on talking about her ideas—and about the pains and hopes that gave rise to them. "The only way to keep it is to give it away," he told her, articulating and enacting the essence of altruism. — Joshua Wolf Shenk, Atlantic, June 2009 "Fiction just doesn't interest me," one 41-year-old construction worker told CNN. "If I'm going to get a story, I'll get a movie," he said, articulating an attitude surely shared by many others in our media-saturated world. — Sara Nelson, Publishers Weekly, 27 Aug. 2007 Erudite, elderly, and introspective, one of my patients articulates clearly some of today's dilemmas facing both alcoholic patients and their physicians. — Thomas L. Delbanco, Journal of the American Medical Association, 13 Mar. 1996 He had some trouble articulating his thoughts. We disagree with the views articulated by the administration. a theory first articulated by ancient philosophers the bones that articulate with the clavicle See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective With the welcome help of some particularly articulate experts, the focus widens to include a smart, pointed explanation of one of most complicated and galling scandals in modern political history. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2022 But the way Judge Jackson navigated complex and sometimes unfair questions and remained composed and articulate was astounding. — Al.com Staff, al, 27 Mar. 2022 At ease in front of the camera, charismatic and articulate, creators are perfectly placed to take advantage of other technological shifts such as the growth in livestreaming. — Catherine Erdly, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2022 The 20-year-old Cal State San Marcos student credits her articulate speech to Promises2Kids, the San Diego nonprofit that serves some 3,000 foster children and former foster children like Hansen in San Diego County. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2022 From delicate, introspective lines to grand crescendos, the orchestra’s sound and the sounds of individual players and sections were present, clear, balanced and musically articulate. — Elaine Schmidt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2022 For example, there’s a sequence where the ferociously astute and articulate Gunn-Wright dissects an oil industry lobbyist’s lies and obfuscations in a video clip. — Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2022 Start to celebrate small wins, articulate achievements and indicate how the team can benefit from learning. — Loubna Noureddin, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2022 The Anglican Church, a small but influential religious community within South Africa, welcomed to its ranks the articulate young black clergyman. — Washington Post, 26 Dec. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Having to be able to digest all the technical lingo and be able to articulate at that moment doesn’t feel right. — L'oréal Blackett, refinery29.com, 11 Apr. 2022 There's a lot of power in being able to articulate your steps. — Kara Warner, PEOPLE.com, 23 Mar. 2022 Poles obviously was able to articulate his vision well enough to be a finalist in three GM searches this year with the Bears, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings — though the Bears hired him before the Vikings could get in their second interview. — Dan Wiederer, chicagotribune.com, 26 Jan. 2022 Above all, Mike was able to articulate his vision for our program and his plan for Butler to be consistently competitive at the top of the Pioneer Football League. — Matthew Vantryon, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Dec. 2021 Leaders must also focus on how to clearly articulate the difference in their service or product. — Expert Panel®, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2021 The administration has struggled to articulate its position on gas, possibly indicating that it is torn or undecided about gas’ role in the low-carbon energy transition. — Dan Eberhart, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2021 For most of 2021, the Republican Party struggled to articulate a coherent attack on the Biden administration. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Sep. 2021 In emails, colleagues across DCFS’ chain of command expressed confusion about who was responsible for the case and struggled to articulate why no one had removed Noah. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'articulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for articulate

Adjective

borrowed from Late Latin articulātus "uttered distinctly, expressed clearly" (as translation of Greek énarthros), past participle of articulāre "to make distinct sounds," going back to Latin, "to divide into distinct parts," derivative of articulus "joint, part of a limb or digit between joints, point of time, clause of a document" — more at article entry 1

Verb

borrowed from Late Latin articulātus, past participle of articulāre "to make distinct sounds," going back to Latin, "to divide into distinct parts" — more at articulate entry 1