eloquence

noun

el·o·quence | \ ˈe-lə-kwən(t)s

How to pronounce eloquence (audio)

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Definition of eloquence

1 : discourse marked by force and persuasiveness also : the art or power of using such discourse

2 : the quality of forceful or persuasive expressiveness

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about eloquence

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Synonyms & Antonyms for eloquence

Synonyms

articulacy
[chiefly British],
articulateness,
poetry,
rhetoric

Antonyms

inarticulateness

Examples of eloquence in a Sentence

The senator's eloquence is well known. She spoke with eloquence on the need for better schools.

Recent Examples on the Web No other language is like it Nothing comes even close to it in sound, eloquence and just plain common sense — and this from someone who spoke nary a word of it before reaching age 25, save for Coke, OK and drugstore. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, "How difficult is it to learn the English language?," 20 Feb. 2021 Taste, as taste, had never risen to equivalent eloquence. — Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, "When a Museum Feels Like Home," 8 Feb. 2021 As in all of Wilson’s Cycle, the script is bursting with sublime language: boasting and jiving, tall tales and philosophical debates, angry clashes and painful confessions, all rendered with an uncanny eloquence that is uniquely African American. — Jake Lamar, The New Republic, "August Wilson’s Uncompromising Vision for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom," 14 Jan. 2021 The middle of a pandemic is not the time to strain for eloquence as JFK did. — Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, "The Democrats Keep Recycling Tired Rhetoric," 11 Jan. 2021 Garcis exudes eloquence and confidence, which can strike some people as bordering on hubris. — Dallas News, "Ryan Garcia’s tour to become ‘the best boxer who ever lived’ arrives in Dallas on Saturday," 2 Jan. 2021 The frustrations of Maud—and her family, of course—are expressed with a sympathetic eloquence by Ms. Jackson and her co-stars, notably Ms. Behan and Nell Williams as Katy, Maud’s plucky, punky granddaughter. — John Anderson, WSJ, "‘Elizabeth Is Missing’ Review: Gone but Not Forgotten," 30 Dec. 2020 History would seem to demand a cheerleader type, but at the moment the leading Democratic candidate in a growing field is Scott Stringer, who is running on competence, not eloquence. — Chris Smith, Town & Country, "What It Really Takes to Be the Mayor of New York City," 2 Dec. 2020 Jan Morris, the acclaimed British journalist, travel writer and historian who wrote about history’s sweep and the details of place with equal eloquence and chronicled her life as a transgender woman, died on Friday in Wales. — Jonathan Kandell, New York Times, "Jan Morris, Celebrated Writer of Place and History, Is Dead at 94," 20 Nov. 2020

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

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Statistics for eloquence

Last Updated

26 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Eloquence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eloquence. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for eloquence

eloquence

noun

English Language Learners Definition of eloquence

: the ability to speak or write well and in an effective way

See the full definition for eloquence in the English Language Learners Dictionary

eloquence

noun

el·o·quence | \ ˈe-lə-kwəns

\

Kids Definition of eloquence

1 : speaking or writing that is forceful and convincing

2 : the ability to speak or write with force and in a convincing way

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