1
as in wind
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
the mayor's promise to fight drugs was just rhetoric, since there was no money in the city budget for a drug program
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in poetry
the art or power of speaking or writing in a forceful and convincing way
great leaders have often been masters of rhetoric, which they have used for both good and ill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rhetoric
The Southern Poverty Law Center has monitored a large rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric over the last year that only intensified since the war in the Middle East began, Levi said.
—
Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
Writers Raoul Groothuizen and Christina Poppe came up with the idea back in 2018, after noticing a sharp rise in racist rhetoric among the Flemish far-right.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Mamdani, who has toned down his rhetoric since taking office, appointed six members to the board this year, giving him a majority of picks.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
In a time increasingly marked by angry, divisive rhetoric, our Rhody desire to help brings us together.
—Nancy Wolanski, The Providence Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetoric
Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
Writers Raoul Groothuizen and Christina Poppe came up with the idea back in 2018, after noticing a sharp rise in racist rhetoric among the Flemish far-right.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Mamdani, who has toned down his rhetoric since taking office, appointed six members to the board this year, giving him a majority of picks.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
In a time increasingly marked by angry, divisive rhetoric, our Rhody desire to help brings us together.
—Nancy Wolanski, The Providence Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetoric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetoric
Noun
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However, gusty winds could be a concern across the Intermountain West to the Rockies with this pattern.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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But all mangroves have elaborate root systems that hold the plants steady even when they're battered by waves and wind.—
Ryan Kellman,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In 1958, Golestan, having just opened his own studio, hired Farrokhzad, who was already well known for boldly candid love poetry, as an assistant.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Building on the intimate, immersive style of The Egg, Pegasus has commissioned four local choreographers to make new pieces based on 30 words identified by the Common Language Project of the Writer’s Garret meant to encourage poetry around themes.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Anthony’s tolerance for nonsense is clear on Day One, when he high-fives Kevin for planning to propose to a co-worker in front of the entire staff.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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That is when Harbaugh will be able to crystallize for players like Cam Skattebo that football is the priority, and any outside nonsense that distracts from the goal of winning games is not going to be tolerated anymore.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Two Indian vessels loaded with liquid petroleum gas have been able to pass, according to Lloyd’s.—
David McHugh,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Moreover, this image isn’t a void or hole at all, but a cloud of light-blocking neutral gas, made simply of plain old collections of atoms.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Come for the jazz—from Grammy Award-winning bassists to young powerhouse vocalists—but stay for the chic atmosphere.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Recollect Records is that rare place for DJs and record collectors, especially those seeking used soul, funk, hip-hop and jazz vinyl.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Catholic Church’s work with young people in Italy largely relies on oratories, parish spaces where children and teenagers gather after school for sports and recreational activities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
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But in 1988, Jackson’s oratory was backed up by an expansive policy platform, which called for hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for education, child care, housing, and infrastructure projects.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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People who dislike Minnelli’s singing maintain that her outer bombast conceals an inner void.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
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For all their bombast, the ICE and Border Patrol agents seemed to work no harder than any other faceless federal bureaucrats.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Freed of the architectural fustian of the Frick’s Gilded Age home, the art breathes anew, each painting in its own world rather than entwined with others as part of a decorative ensemble.—
Philip Kennicott,
Washington Post,
6 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Rhetoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetoric. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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