variants
also rhetoric
1
as in oratorical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases
you can skip over the rhetorical passages and still get the gist of the essay
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ornate
full of fine words and fancy expressions
the new governor delivered a long rhetorical speech about our state's bright future but laid out no specific programs for ensuring it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in linguistic
of or relating to words or language
the next war that those two nations fight won't be rhetorical—it will be with bombs and bullets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rhetorical
The program also happens to be in line with one of the president’s convenient rhetorical fictions.
—
Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Style-wise, Nazir favors parallelism, epistrophe, and lists of three [], all rhetorical devices that are associated with large language models.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Steyer’s emphasis on reducing regulatory barriers and permitting costs to address California’s housing crisis represents a substantive policy contribution that could appeal to voters prioritizing pragmatic solutions over rhetorical combat.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
The unraveling of the once-cozy relationship is not just personal or rhetorical.
—Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Style-wise, Nazir favors parallelism, epistrophe, and lists of three [], all rhetorical devices that are associated with large language models.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Steyer’s emphasis on reducing regulatory barriers and permitting costs to address California’s housing crisis represents a substantive policy contribution that could appeal to voters prioritizing pragmatic solutions over rhetorical combat.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
The unraveling of the once-cozy relationship is not just personal or rhetorical.
—Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
Adjective
-
That wasn’t Newsom’s only oratorical slip-up, although the second one says more about the larger Democratic Party than anything else.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
-
With his height and his oratorical flourishes, Jackson was a charismatic figure who led protests in Greensboro.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Camp Lucy was born when former antiques dealer and real estate developer Whit Hanks restored the ornate chapel on his family’s property in 2008.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
-
Despite its ornate craftsmanship and intricacies, Osaka’s tennis kit is still functional, transitioning from an entrance look to a competition-ready uniform for the four-time Grand Slam champion.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Klara Liden, an artist working across the registers of the embodied, spatial, and linguistic, remains productively undecided.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Local partners can also prove invaluable, especially when there is a significant linguistic and/or cultural gap.—
Midhat Zwayen,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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
Adjective
-
Rooms vary in size and color palette but all offer soft rugs, silk throws, a neutral but warm color scheme with accent colors like purple, floral bouquets, and large beds just asking to be jumped on.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Rick is tightly scheduled, punctilious to a fault, endowed with verbal wit that gently but firmly shapes and smooths social interactions.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
-
Refusing to follow verbal or printed instructions or cooperate with park personnel or security.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Beyond-high ticket prices have drawn protests, along with inflated mass-transportation costs in host cities.—
Greg Cote
June 4,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Unlike Benitez, who arrived at Anfield with inflated confidence having won two La Liga titles in three seasons at Valencia, along with the UEFA Cup, Iraola’s track record is one of a developer at each of his previous clubs rather than a deliverer of trophies.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell).—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism.—
Roy Scranton,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rhetorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetorical. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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