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
That writer performed an increasingly common rhetorical move among 20th-century criminologists, reifying deterrence into a scientific object and a kind of substance that could exist in greater or lesser quantities.
—
Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
From Fifth back to First In 1953, the physicist Albert Einstein became instrumental in revitalizing the force of the First Amendment as a rhetorical and legal tactic in the congressional hearings.
—Jodie Childers, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
It was founded by Simon Bolívar, who led the region to independence from Spain and remains a key rhetorical figure in Latin American politics, especially in Colombia and Venezuela.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Bannon’s fantasy functions as a rhetorical weapon—a way of probing how far the cult of personality can go before the rule of law pushes back.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
From Fifth back to First In 1953, the physicist Albert Einstein became instrumental in revitalizing the force of the First Amendment as a rhetorical and legal tactic in the congressional hearings.
—Jodie Childers, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
It was founded by Simon Bolívar, who led the region to independence from Spain and remains a key rhetorical figure in Latin American politics, especially in Colombia and Venezuela.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Bannon’s fantasy functions as a rhetorical weapon—a way of probing how far the cult of personality can go before the rule of law pushes back.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
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
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Every California governor since Earl Warren back in World War II had annually paraded into the ornate 1800s-decor Assembly chamber to address a joint session of the Legislature in what was always the most festive occasion of the year in the state Capitol.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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The service is a dream, as are the common spaces—handwoven tapestries by Portuguese artist José Sobral de Almada Negreiros hang throughout, with ornate furnishings and happy wallpaper in a rich yellow.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Cultural, linguistic, and value-based assimilation challenges arise, potentially altering national identities and eroding civilizational confidence.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Geertz was a master of this humanistic art, which required patient fluency and subtle attention to the linguistic and meaning-making features of politics.—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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
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Plants with hollow stems, like purple flowering raspberry and Joe Pye weed.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
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These performances showcased many a beaded sheath dress, like the purple number seen above.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Attorneys for the victims' families say the victims were three 10-year-old non-verbal boys with autism.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is just as volatile, ranging from verbal fistfights in the Oval Office to respectful deliberation.—
Daniel DePetris,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Another agency investigation revealed that a former CPS employee defrauded the district of potentially more than $135,000 over three years by reporting false or inflated work hours, the report said.—
Hope Moses,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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Investors also periodically rotated out of tech and into value areas of the market due to worries of inflated valuations in the AI trade.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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 13 Jan. 2026.
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