eloquence

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

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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 Because in a season loaded with adversity, Paschall’s ability to navigate media scrums with an eloquence that belies his age has been nearly as important as his on-court production. — Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, "Why Eric Paschall was uniquely equipped to become the face of the Warriors’ rebuild," 13 Nov. 2019 What if the tragedies of tyranny were, in the first instance, tragedies of eloquence misapplied—of language used for evil ends, but used well? — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, "The Field Guide to Tyranny," 16 Dec. 2019 In the end, these two paintings defeat all attempts to match their eloquence. — Washington Post, "Buried deep in a disappointing Rembrandt and Velázquez show are two portraits that demand to be seen," 8 Nov. 2019 Gibson’s Isabella is a complex mix of sharp-witted eloquence, lofty ethics and naive vulnerability that makes her victimization all the more horrific. — Philip Brandes, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Shakespeare’s ‘Measure for Measure,’ set in the #MeToo era," 11 Oct. 2019 Tarantino is still practicing a cinema of saturation, demanding the audience’s total attention and bombarding us with allusions, visual jokes, flights of profane eloquence, daubs of throwaway beauty and gobs of premeditated gore. — New York Times, "‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood’ Review: We Lost It at the Movies," 24 July 2019 An experimenter who works an extraordinarily wide sonic canvas, Gay brings silvery eloquence to cornet and stretches out on other instruments as well, while freely spanning genres. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "What not to miss as Jazz Fest gets into full swing this weekend," 29 Aug. 2019 Augustine believed eloquence and argument could help win souls for the church. — Raquel López, National Geographic, "Did sons and daughters get the same education in ancient Greece?," 28 Aug. 2019 Students apply to take part, and are chosen based upon their commitment to leadership and social justice, as well as their passion and eloquence as writers. — cleveland.com, "Three Lake Erie Ink writing students to take part in International Congress of Youth Voices in Puerto Rico," 11 July 2019

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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Last Updated

7 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Eloquence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eloquence. Accessed 19 Feb. 2020.

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