ar·tic·u·late
är-ˈti-kyə-lət 
1
a
: 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
Arthur Conan Doyle
articulately
adverb
articulateness
noun
ar·tic·u·late
är-ˈti-kyə-ˌlāt
articulated; articulating
1
a
: 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
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
2
a
: 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
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.
Synonyms
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
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
Christopher Benfey, New York Review of Books, 17 Jan. 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 WebNaman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
That’s a significant boon for the movie, since Kiran is articulate and remarkably steadfast.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023
This time around, the House Freedom Caucus rebels don’t even have an articulate set of demands, just primal rage.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 25 Sep. 2023
But one movement is largely confined to adult domestic cats: tail-up, whereby the articulate appendage is held perpendicular to the cat’s back, with the tip pointed forward at an approaching individual.
—Brandon Keim, Popular Science, 12 Oct. 2023
Miles Taylor, the former Trump-era Department of Homeland Security operative who has become one of Trump’s most articulate and compelling critics, will speak.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 5 Oct. 2023
Cunningham, one of the most innovative choreographers of the 20th century, who died in 2009, experimented with conventions, introducing elements of chance into his dances, which featured precise, articulate and highly technical movement.
—Gia Kourlas Amir Hamja, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023
If ever our descendants make contact with articulate beings from other planets and solar systems, English will doubtless start adding and assimilating words from Martian, Saturnian, and Alpha Centaurian and beaming its vocabulary across outer space.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2023
And the actors were able to speak on the show’s behalf, and no one is more articulate about the show than Tom (Read THR‘s cover story with Holland).
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 July 2023
Isabelia Herrera, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2023
Clearly articulating the minimum data requirements and why this data is needed will help set the tone for the system's design.
—Kevin Korte, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
As the high court admits, many of the rules aren’t new, but they have never been formally articulated for the public.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Nov. 2023
The benefits of the silent treatment have never been better articulated.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
The thrill and glory of Arcadia is in watching articulate passion unfold itself.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2023
Gracie articulates his pedagogy with movement and action.
—Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2023
Israel makes a desolation and may call it peace
The doctrine that emerged out of the conflict was most famously articulated by IDF commander Gadi Eisenkot.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
At the less emotional policy level, Dr. Zogby says frustration is building with the Biden administration for not pushing Israel harder to conduct its military campaign and articulate an endgame in a way that can draw in Israel’s Arab neighbors instead of alienating them.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Nov. 2023
See More
Adjective
Always thoughtful, articulate, tough and deeply human – that was his super power.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
That’s a significant boon for the movie, since Kiran is articulate and remarkably steadfast.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023
This time around, the House Freedom Caucus rebels don’t even have an articulate set of demands, just primal rage.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 25 Sep. 2023
But one movement is largely confined to adult domestic cats: tail-up, whereby the articulate appendage is held perpendicular to the cat’s back, with the tip pointed forward at an approaching individual.
—Brandon Keim, Popular Science, 12 Oct. 2023
Miles Taylor, the former Trump-era Department of Homeland Security operative who has become one of Trump’s most articulate and compelling critics, will speak.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 5 Oct. 2023
Cunningham, one of the most innovative choreographers of the 20th century, who died in 2009, experimented with conventions, introducing elements of chance into his dances, which featured precise, articulate and highly technical movement.
—Gia Kourlas Amir Hamja, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023
If ever our descendants make contact with articulate beings from other planets and solar systems, English will doubtless start adding and assimilating words from Martian, Saturnian, and Alpha Centaurian and beaming its vocabulary across outer space.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2023
And the actors were able to speak on the show’s behalf, and no one is more articulate about the show than Tom (Read THR‘s cover story with Holland).
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 July 2023
Verb
Who is the person who can help articulate and circulate those symbolic values?
—Isabelia Herrera, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2023
Clearly articulating the minimum data requirements and why this data is needed will help set the tone for the system's design.
—Kevin Korte, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
As the high court admits, many of the rules aren’t new, but they have never been formally articulated for the public.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Nov. 2023
The benefits of the silent treatment have never been better articulated.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
The thrill and glory of Arcadia is in watching articulate passion unfold itself.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2023
Gracie articulates his pedagogy with movement and action.
—Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2023
Israel makes a desolation and may call it peace
The doctrine that emerged out of the conflict was most famously articulated by IDF commander Gadi Eisenkot.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
At the less emotional policy level, Dr. Zogby says frustration is building with the Biden administration for not pushing Israel harder to conduct its military campaign and articulate an endgame in a way that can draw in Israel’s Arab neighbors instead of alienating them.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'articulate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
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
First Known Use
Adjective
1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Verb
1661, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near articulate
Cite this Entry
“Articulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/articulate. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
articulate
1 of 2 adjective
ar·tic·u·late
är-ˈtik-yə-lət
1
a
: clearly understandable
an articulate argument
b
: able to express oneself clearly and well
an articulate speaker
2
: consisting of segments united by joints : jointed
articulate animals
articulately
adverb
articulateness
noun
articulate
2 of 2 verb
ar·tic·u·late
är-ˈtik-yə-ˌlāt
articulated; articulating
1
a
: to speak in clear syllables or words
b
: to express clearly
2
: to unite or become united or connected by or as if by a joint
Medical Definition
articulate
1 of 2 adjective
ar·tic·u·late
är-ˈtik-yə-lət
: consisting of segments united by joints : jointed
articulate animals
articulate
2 of 2 verb
ar·tic·u·late
-ˌlāt
articulated; articulating
1
: to utter distinctly
2
: to unite by means of a joint
3
: to arrange (artificial teeth) on an articulator
1
: to utter articulate sounds
2
: to become united or connected by or as if by a joint
bones that articulate with each other
More from Merriam-Webster on articulate
Nglish: Translation of articulate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of articulate for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share