1
as in speech
the art of speaking in public eloquently and effectively
a presidential hopeful with a gift for oratory and a highly charismatic personality
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2
as in rhetoric
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
the politician's oratory sounded good only to people who didn't bother to think
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oratory
Inches from Okananwa’s face, Frese delivered a vehement oratory to the junior.
—
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
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, 24 Feb. 2026
His toughness, off-the-cuff oratory skills and preference for coaching defense all come from the man whose traits were forged in a northeastern Pennsylvania town his family has called home for more than a century.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
King’s ability to take ideas from White preachers’ bland sermons and convert them to stirring oratory was part of his genius, Miller says.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
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, 24 Feb. 2026
His toughness, off-the-cuff oratory skills and preference for coaching defense all come from the man whose traits were forged in a northeastern Pennsylvania town his family has called home for more than a century.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
King’s ability to take ideas from White preachers’ bland sermons and convert them to stirring oratory was part of his genius, Miller says.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oratory
Noun
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Some of the dialogue feels like Harrison’s own metaphysical musings rather than characters’ speech.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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For people with disabilities, AI is providing higher quality and faster transcription for the deaf, image descriptions for the blind, and speech generation for those unable to communicate verbally.—
Jessica Melugin,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
Noun
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The memo’s overheated rhetoric and lengthy recitation of political grievances also raise some doubts about his claims.—
Benjamin Mazer,
The Atlantic,
8 Dec. 2025
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The controversy also highlights growing concerns regarding the influence of betting interests on fan reactions and the integrity of sporting events, as well as the broader issue of violent rhetoric in digital spaces.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Players understanding the play calls filtered through his thick Southern elocution.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
28 July 2025
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The delightful elocution of their dry-as-martini witticisms (dialect coach Nancy Carlin) adds to the joys of this period piece.—
Karen D'Souza,
The Mercury News,
25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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John Adams continued the practice of addressing Congress in person, but, in 1801, Thomas Jefferson, who hated public speaking even more than Washington did, decided to deliver his annual address to Congress in writing, a tradition that was upheld until Woodrow Wilson overturned it, in 1913.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
27 Oct. 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
“Oratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oratory. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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