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
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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
Subscribe In Asia, markets rose after Wall Street gained for a third straight day as tech stocks rallied, with investors assessing the trade climate as the U.S. tones down tariff rhetoric and China reportedly mulls suspending levies.
—
Chloe Taylor,ganesh Rao, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Owens is also known for promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitic rhetoric.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
This contradiction between rhetoric and reality cannot be ignored.
—Jeffrey Gahler, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2025
Quartz’s Shannon Carroll has more on Tesla’s robots, rhetoric, and red ink.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetoric
Chloe Taylor,ganesh Rao, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Owens is also known for promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitic rhetoric.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
This contradiction between rhetoric and reality cannot be ignored.
—Jeffrey Gahler, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2025
Quartz’s Shannon Carroll has more on Tesla’s robots, rhetoric, and red ink.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetoric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetoric
Noun
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Reports include tornado, wind storm and hail storm reports.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
-
For example, a plant may attract the same pests or wind pollination can impact the quality of differing varieties of the same plant.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Many write poetry, go on dates, don’t need help to use a toilet.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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In high school, my writing expanded to poetry, screenwriting and creative nonfiction.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Faced with a phrase that has no inherent meaning, the AI Overview still makes a good-faith effort to answer the user's request and draw some plausible explanation out of troll-worthy nonsense.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
-
None of this ‘support the teams from your country in Europe’ nonsense.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The natural sugars in dry fruits may ferment in the gut, leading to gas and discomfort.—
Faye Remedios,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2025
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But as the fourth quarter continued, the Nuggets ran out of gas.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And Thursday, jazz lovers can hear the sounds of Cooke as Miami group Old Skool Gang performs the full live recording at the Historic Ward Rooming House Gallery at 249 NW 9th Street in Overtown.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
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If there’s a way to shoehorn in a Las Vegas dance number, complete with jazz hands and ostrich feathers, do it!—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Then with some of the most stirring words in American oratory, Kennedy told the students — and all of us — that individual courage can be a powerful force for good.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2025
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Netanyahu has done little to aid Ukraine even in his oratory.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As a show, Agent Carter was full of fun and bombast, showing some of what its eponymous lead got up to after losing her love, Steve Rogers.—
Nola Pfau,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
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In previous years, Bun B’s takeovers—H-Town, Southern, and All-American, respectively—leaned heavily into the bombast of hip-hop, an all-star showcase of Southern rap royalty.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Much of that singularity was centered in McCarthy’s prose, which ricocheted—sometimes gracefully, sometimes jarringly—between gruff matter-of-factness and soaring, biblical grandiloquence.—
Alex Shephard,
The New Republic,
13 June 2023
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Several of them can fly, and all have at least a touch of grandiloquence to them.—
Michael Nordine,
Variety,
11 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Rhetoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetoric. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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