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

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Other Words from articulate

Adjective

articulately adverb

articulateness noun

Verb

articulative \ -lə-tiv

, -ˌlā- \ adjective

articulator \ -ˌlā-tər

\ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for articulate

Synonyms: Adjective

eloquent, fluent, silver-tongued, well-spoken

Synonyms: Verb

enunciate

Antonyms: Adjective

inarticulate, ineloquent, unvocal

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Super-articulate, direct and friendly, sporting chunky horn-rimmed glasses, Davidge might be mistaken for a young college professor. — Eric Johnson, The Mercury News, "Los Gatos designer builds e-bikes for speed and…," 28 June 2019 This time, however, there were no slips, and the composer's last concerto enjoyed a crisp, flawlessly articulate performance fleshed out by the luminous work of principal flutist Joshua Smith and golden pairs of horns and bassoons. — Zachary Lewis, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Orchestra announces details of 50th anniversary 2018 Blossom Festival season (photos)," 11 Feb. 2018 These questions, as well as the core dilemma of figuring out what matters in life, are parsed by smart, articulate people. — Kenneth Turan, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: ‘Non-Fiction’ is a smart and sassy French romantic comedy," 6 June 2019 One of the administration’s more articulate Syria hawks was Antony Blinken, Obama’s deputy national security adviser and then John Kerry’s deputy secretary of state from 2015 to 2017. — Charles Glass, Harper's magazine, "“Tell Me How This Ends”," 10 Feb. 2019 The choral singing moved from crisp and articulate to lush and lyrical where required. — Jessica Rudman, courant.com, "HSO Wraps Up Masterworks Season With Impressive Collaboratin," 9 June 2018 Modern witchiness reveals itself through fashion in clothes that articulate joy and express a healthy relationship with mortality while also being difficult for the male gaze. — Harper's BAZAAR, "The Modern Woman Is Embracing Her Inner Witch," 12 Nov. 2018 Ehnes, who also is the festival’s artistic director, introduced the premiere and two other Howard works in the first half in a manner as articulate and adroit as any television commentator. — Melinda Bargreen, The Seattle Times, "Seattle Chamber Music Society debuts an ear-boggling piece by a ‘Dark Knight’ composer," 17 July 2018 No matter the gain level, the notes remain articulate and defined, even when playing chords. — Henry Robertson, Popular Mechanics, "The New Fender Strat Still Reigns Supreme," 27 Apr. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

One, Myers can articulate the Warriors’ strategy on how the team will assemble its roster. — Mark Medina, The Mercury News, "Warriors’ Bob Myers to meet with Kevin Durant this weekend," 29 June 2019 If a partner is better able to articulate their thoughts in writing, then an email can be a great first step. — Anne Roderique-jones, SELF, "Something I Can't Recommend Enough: Fighting With Your Partner Over Email," 20 June 2019 The dorsal fins weren't articulated in this robot; instead, they're largely used for storage of the battery/hydraulic fluid. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Researchers make a robotic fish with a battery for blood," 19 June 2019 Before the 18th century, emotion was more commonly articulated in painting through gestures of the hand and body than the face. — Susan Broomhall, Quartzy, "The secret to the Mona Lisa’s enduring allure," 15 June 2019 The money that Mat saved on hiring a painter was put into purchasing more high-end furnishings, including an articulating sconce, circular floor lamp, modern console, and of course, that $4,000 fireplace. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Watch the Drabbest Rooms Become Fab on Best Room Wins Episode Three," 16 May 2019 But the most important element of the AIPAC speech was that the Israeli public could observe him, once again, articulating himself eloquently in commanding English to an American audience on the heels of his warm meeting with President Donald Trump. — Marc Schulman, Newsweek, "Tel Aviv Diary: Is This The End Of The Road For Benjamin Netanyahu?," 12 Mar. 2018 Vaughan articulated his pro-reparations views in a pamphlet titled Vaughan’s Freedmen’s Pension Bill. — Arica L. Coleman, Time, "The House Hearing on Slavery Reparations Is Part of a Long History. Here's What to Know on the Idea's Tireless Early Advocates," 18 June 2019 Kael articulated a provocative new vision of American cinema in which the most invigorating films blurred the boundaries of high and low culture. — The New Yorker, "Sunday Reading: The Electrifying Critical Mind of Pauline Kael," 16 June 2019

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.