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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Example Sentences
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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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In some cases, entire families sign up to record video, speech and images for AI training to supplement their income.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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You guys got an uptick in the ratings and very good reviews for last year’s Oscars, but one criticism was that some of the speeches — Adrien Brody’s, in particular — went on a little long.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
11 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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His disturbing and bloody rhetoric created a twisted equivalence between violent crime and immigrants, most of whom come here to work, raise families and contribute to our population growth and economy.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Racial profiling is virtually a stated part of the department’s strategy, and ad campaigns have openly espoused white-nationalist rhetoric and talking points.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Prior customer service and public speaking experience preferred.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
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Summitt implored her to take a public speaking course.—
Rebecca Shore Winn,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elocution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elocution. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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