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
At first, she was struck by Roosevelt's more recognizable voice, bearing the extreme elocution of a transatlantic accent.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 June 2024
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
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
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 June 2024
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
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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Councilmember Nithya Raman made what sounded almost like a concession speech.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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More screen time is given over to her burgeoning friendship with firebrand suffragette Mary, played by singer Lily Allen in a deliberately anachronistic performance — her forthright speech and manner beamed in directly from the 21st century.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
3 June 2026
Noun
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But those seemed better suited to people who wanted to win hearts and minds through stirring oratory.—
Eli Durst,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Others are former legacy news anchors, who have gained traction by slinging challenging oratory.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Healey, a former two-term attorney general, is completely disregarding public safety by her reckless rhetoric and actions – all to win another election.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
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The escalating rhetoric comes at a critical moment for the two countries, which next month will embark on a review of their free trade agreement with Canada.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Early in his career, at age 20, Buffett set out to conquer his fear of public speaking by enrolling in a Dale Carnegie course, which still exists today.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
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Prior customer service and public speaking experience preferred.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elocution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elocution. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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