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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Attorneys representing students and community members who were arrested at a pro-Palestinian encampment last year on Arizona State University’s campus say the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office have accused them of charging them due to their political speech.—
Angele Latham,
The Tennessean,
26 Aug. 2025
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How Friday's core PCE number, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, could be more important than Nvidia's results for the markets given that the bull run got its latest lift from Friday's dovish Jackson Hole speech from Chair Jerome Powell.—
John Melloy,
CNBC,
25 Aug. 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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Dabrowski also aligned himself with the controversial Awake Illinois organization, a group that has gained notoriety for its anti-transgender rhetoric and activities.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
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His hardline rhetoric came after a spate of protests outside hotels that are used to house asylum seekers while their claims are processed.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Look no further than your local library or community college, which frequently offer courses on everything from public speaking to AI.—
Julia Korn,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Outside of writing, since Regas left his position at the Cincinnati Observatory in August of 2023 after nearly two and a half decades, he's spent more time podcasting and public speaking, including about 150 talks a year throughout the United States.—
Otto Rabe,
The Enquirer,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elocution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elocution. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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