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
These are not rhetorical musings.
—
Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The mechanism varied—presidential decree, rhetorical pressure, or quiet resignation—but the outcome proved consistent.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The rhetorical pattern after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti makes this plain.
—Andrew Weinstein, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
Former California Assemblyman Bill Essayli certainly made a name for himself as a rhetorical bomb-thrower in the California Legislature.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The mechanism varied—presidential decree, rhetorical pressure, or quiet resignation—but the outcome proved consistent.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The rhetorical pattern after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti makes this plain.
—Andrew Weinstein, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
Former California Assemblyman Bill Essayli certainly made a name for himself as a rhetorical bomb-thrower in the California Legislature.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
Adjective
-
The Dallas area was a hotbed of competitive debate, and, at first, the oratorical polish of Kuang’s teammates was intimidating.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Chicago-based like the Jacksons — the play originated at the Steppenwolf Theater Company in that city — they, too, are headed by an oratorical pastor who, in his youth, worked closely with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Male pufferfish that are trying to win over a female run their fins along the sand, creating ornate circles and patterns to attract a date.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The dining room is truly beautiful, decorated with hanging lights, colorful furniture, paper flowers, and an ornate ofrenda.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Large language models now exhibit extraordinary linguistic competence while remaining wholly incapable of accountability.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
-
That word is a product of linguistic confusion, according to Yeazell.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The bishops further authorized a new edition of the Roman Pontifical for pontifical Masses, expected to be completed by 2027, with Vatican approval pending for some rites, according to the Catholic News Agency.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Nov. 2025
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In its report, the pontifical commission highlights failures in the Italian church.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Red, purple and maroon monitors would indicate more serious health risks.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Dogwoods provide additional interest throughout the year with red fall fruits and striking burgundy red to purple autumn foliage.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The teams exchanged verbal insults before Anthony Sapienza punched one of the victims and struck him in the face with a pickleball paddle, according to the affidavit.—
Storey Wertheimer,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But cowriting forced them to at least create a verbal outline, spending hours on the phone getting to know the characters before trading off chapters and editing each other’s work.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
State officials are asking lawmakers to craft a bill that would allow the Department of Social Services to limit Medicaid payments for unionized nursing homes whose owners hire family members at inflated salaries.—
Jenna Carlesso,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
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Those inflated costs fall squarely on the shoulders of small businesses and working families through higher premiums and lower take-home pay.—
Bianca Blomquist,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 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 21 Feb. 2026.
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