as in speech
the art of speaking in public eloquently and effectively
the oft-told story that he practiced elocution by learning to speak with a mouth full of pebbles
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Recent Examples of elocution
Elizabeth—with her precise elocution, her terrifying and obvious sincerity—sounded like a woman on the brink of a great cosmic battle.
—
Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Rosetta was unusually anxious about public speaking, so she was given elocution lessons.
—Anita Gates, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023
Would elocution stand a chance if it were formally reintroduced into the school curriculum today?
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2023
The recordings also capture Bell’s family background in elocution (his father, grandfather, and brother all taught the subject).
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for elocution
Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Rosetta was unusually anxious about public speaking, so she was given elocution lessons.
—Anita Gates, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023
Would elocution stand a chance if it were formally reintroduced into the school curriculum today?
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2023
The recordings also capture Bell’s family background in elocution (his father, grandfather, and brother all taught the subject).
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for elocution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elocution
Noun
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Don't sweat it — music aficionados can tune in and rock out to all of the stellar performances, speeches, and festivities via livestream this year.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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However, Victoria gave Brooklyn a special nod while thanking her children during a speech.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Known for his extraordinary oratory skills, everyone who has been around Levy has a story to tell about his Marvisms and motivational speeches.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Her brand at the time was something like the Obama of the antipodes: a liberal media darling, icon of the global anti-Trump resistance, transitioning smoothly from lofty oratory to easygoing relatability.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Noun
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That kind of rhetoric is escalatory.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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Regardless, the Islamic Republic’s response has been to frame criticism as betrayal, suggesting that those who question support for Gaza or Lebanon are complicit with imperialism – a narrative enforced through a mix of rhetoric and coercion.—
Kamran Talattof,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Goldberg also spoke out on the air against Charlie Kirk's assassin in September, after the conservative commentator was killed during a public speaking event on a college campus in Utah earlier this year.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Dec. 2025
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Toastmasters meetings help participants improve public speaking, communication and professional presentation skills.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elocution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elocution. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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