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
Notwithstanding his rhetorical mistake in Atlanta, any future attacks that come from the tour will hold little water given his track record.
—
Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
In each case, economic performance risks becoming a rhetorical shield — one that deflects scrutiny from actions that undermine democratic norms and constitutional principles.
—Kenneth Zagacki, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
In that spirit, the presidency — despite policy detours, rhetorical bucking and social-media stampedes — remains a powerful instrument of national motion.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
But Dreher has also given plenty of rhetorical support to Trump’s demolition agenda.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
In each case, economic performance risks becoming a rhetorical shield — one that deflects scrutiny from actions that undermine democratic norms and constitutional principles.
—Kenneth Zagacki, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
In that spirit, the presidency — despite policy detours, rhetorical bucking and social-media stampedes — remains a powerful instrument of national motion.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
But Dreher has also given plenty of rhetorical support to Trump’s demolition agenda.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 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
-
The gardens, landscaped in both French and English styles, are well kept-after and lush; the rooms feature curved high ceilings and bold washes of paint; the ornate 19th-century furniture is original to the chateau.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Opting for ornate hardware and rings or adding a trim detail above the window—or to the fabric itself—can also help to give lighter curtains more substance.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Turkey, Kurdish people make up the largest ethnic and linguistic minority, amounting to roughly 20% of the population.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Geographic and linguistic frameworks constrain movement; temporal frameworks constrain belonging.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 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
-
Throughout the room are Atom Power’s purple EV charging stands and large white breaker boxes ready for assembly.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
-
During the rainy winter and early spring months, otherworldly photos of the park make the rounds online, showing brilliant yellow, pink, and purple blooms carpeting an otherwise lunar landscape.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The lawmakers cited the case of a deaf and non-verbal DACA recipient with no criminal history who was detained last year amid the immigration raids in Los Angeles.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
That made Friday afternoon’s summary judgment hearing the first public glimpse of bad blood between Dallas’ NBA and NHL franchises, with their respective attorneys trading verbal blows for a little more than two hours in Texas Business Court.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Under-inflated tires actually force your vehicle to burn more fuel.—
Frankie McLister,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
-
An analysis by a group of leading architects showed that only $329 million of that report’s $1 billion assessment for the city to remain in City Hall would be devoted to repairs, and even that estimate was, according to the architects, vastly inflated.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 2026.
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