orotund

adjective

ˈȯr-ə-ˌtənd How to pronounce orotund (audio)
Definition of orotundnext
1
as in ringing
marked by conspicuously full and rich sounds or tones the tenor's orotund voice was just what this soaring aria needs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rhetorical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases a master of the orotund prose that is favored by academic journals of literary criticism

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 orotund Novoselov had a boisterous, orotund way of talking that even the interpreter seemed to have trouble making sense of. — Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2021 The speaker’s orotund oratory, his mannered put-downs, his mock pretentiousness, his pompous, practiced, often hilarious jawing will be no more. — Karla Adam, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orotund
  1. ringing
  2. rhetorical
  3. round
  4. inflated
  5. sonorous
  6. pontifical
  7. reverberant
  8. vibrant
Adjective
  • The murder mystery has so far flown under the radar, despite having Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany as the lead, but just received a ringing endorsement from author extraordinaire Stephen King.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 25 June 2026
  • About a dozen other Republican backers of the Iran war either declined or did not respond to requests for interviews or comment—hardly a ringing endorsement of their president’s negotiating prowess.
    — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of ringing
Adjective
  • To judge by the vocabulary deployed in its pages, the book belongs in the inner sanctum of literary theory, where the walls are hung with gnarly rhetorical tropes.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • For one, what South Korea is calling a policy shift is largely rhetorical and little different in substance from the previous approach, says KIDA's Lee Ho-ryung.
    — Se Eun Gong, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • Archer Aviation has completed a piloted round-trip flight between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport, adding another real-world demonstration as the company prepares to launch commercial air taxi operations later this year.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Traditional lazy Susans only work on round tables -- enter The Lazy Susan Revolution, a patented system designed specifically for long, rectangular and oval tables, bringing every dish within reach of every guest.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of round
Adjective
  • Hundreds of thousands of property and business owners saw their assessed values raised by more than 15% either in 2023 or 2025, leading to inflated property tax bills that many have called unreasonable or unfair.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Still, the fandoms that are most likely to post emo lyrics or examine the most devastating lines could have a slightly inflated score.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of inflated
Adjective
  • Assuming the role of a human clapper, Holzinger struck its lip again and again, sending a sonorous peal across the Biennale grounds.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026
  • In addition to his film, TV and theater work, Yun has also narrated a ton of Korean documentaries over the years thanks to his sonorous voice.
    — Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Definition of sonorous
Adjective
  • Leo opened his visit to Pompeii by meeting with sick and disabled people who are cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica in 1901.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
  • That public spat has overshadowed his pontifical tour of four African countries, which ended Thursday with a Mass for thousands of people in Malabo, the former capital of Equatorial Guinea.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of pontifical
Adjective
  • Other halls may have a richer, more reverberant acoustic, although Disney’s is still uncommonly fine.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • But let your mind wander, and Carlile and Doran’s digital wrangling blurs into a colorful, reverberant hum.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Definition of reverberant
Adjective
  • The magic is the schug (a vibrant blend of spicy Italian long peppers, garlic and herbs) and tomato seeds that add an acidic kick.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • Shots taken outdoors in sunny Toronto were bright, clear, and vibrant.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 30 July 2026
Definition of vibrant

Browse Nearby Words

ornery
orotund
orphaned
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Orotund.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orotund. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on orotund

Nglish: Translation of orotund for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All