oratory

Definition of oratorynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oratory Hamer signed up and, through her courage, charisma, and oratory, quickly drew ardent disciples and ruthless adversaries. — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026 Dogra was on the speech and debate team, competing in original oratory and original advocacy and serving as speech captain during her junior and senior years. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026 Public oratory was the dominant political medium of the day, and Sumner mastered it. — Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026 But those seemed better suited to people who wanted to win hearts and minds through stirring oratory. — Eli Durst, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for oratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oratory
Noun
  • In his address to the Illinois General Assembly in May, the senator devoted the first half of his speech to immigration.
    — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Within a week, a group of 20 to 30 SEIU Local 1000 members burst into a CalHR conference Tuesday morning to interrupt its keynote speech.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Rodríguez is already signaling an interest in working with Washington, despite some of her public rhetoric, tapping former opposition aide Oliver Blanco as foreign minister.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The schmaltzy rhetoric around nearly all of the works evidences a great desire for purpose, meaning, even dogma, but such things do not tend to emerge from entertainment or leisure practices so much as from constraint and necessity.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • His grandfather, Alexander Bell, born in Scotland in 1790, had started off as an actor, then moved into teaching elocution.
    — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Longworth’s deep research, erudition, and spectacularly precise elocution have made the now-indie podcast essential storytelling for cinephiles.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • Selections were based on several criteria, including community and school involvement, academic achievement, public speaking ability and youth leadership.
    — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • While Spencer was no stranger to public speaking, having worked in broadcasting before delivering the eulogy, the emotions of the moment forced him to gather all his strength to make it through his speech.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oratory. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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