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 purple
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 verbal
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
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 rhetorical
That left Johnson blindsided by the billionaire’s rhetorical barrage on Tuesday.
—
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 3 June 2025
However, that evolution remains more rhetorical than structural, at least for now.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 June 2025
Differences of opinion between economists, scorekeepers and analysts are commonplace, as are the heated rhetorical attacks lobbed at the Congressional Budget Office.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
His comments raise the rhetorical gamesmanship to a level U.S. officials weren’t comfortable with in the past.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 3 June 2025
However, that evolution remains more rhetorical than structural, at least for now.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 June 2025
Differences of opinion between economists, scorekeepers and analysts are commonplace, as are the heated rhetorical attacks lobbed at the Congressional Budget Office.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
His comments raise the rhetorical gamesmanship to a level U.S. officials weren’t comfortable with in the past.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
Adjective
-
Not merely because of his superior oratorical pizazz but also his remarkable style.—
Julian Randall,
Essence,
4 Dec. 2024
-
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
-
What divides us red and blue can certainly bring us together as purple to build a sound future for all our children.—
Naperville Sun,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
-
Throughout the day, baskets of white and purple flowers were brought in to decorate the venue, along with a piano, People reported.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Witness his absolutely brutal verbal beatdown of a former scream queen in the clip below.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
13 June 2025
-
The latter quarterback will get a third shot with the Jets, while Wilson ended up in New York and received a verbal commitment to become the starting QB for the Giants in 2025.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
Related Articles For the past 40-plus years in the Philippines, Natori’s mother Angelita Cruz has been very close to the nuncios (who act as pontifical ambassadors), the designer said.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
18 June 2025
-
The only pontifical name that hasn't been used more than once is Peter, the name of the first pope, though there's no prohibition against doing so.—
Christopher Watson,
ABC News,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
This inconsistency suggests that these models fail to account for linguistic differences in the way humans reason and convey causality.—
Siobhan Hanna,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
With this book, Willy’s style began venturing into aberrant linguistic territory.—
Benjamin Hale
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Having fresh eggs in the backyard avoids the need to pay inflated egg prices.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
-
Her ensemble featured a simple yet striking little black dress with a semi-sheer bodice and a voluminous, inflated hemline, perfectly paired with dainty black mules and matching arm cuffs on both wrists.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
Mark Twain’s Paris This is an eloquent description of a severe addiction.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2025
-
The Convergence Of Artificial And Human Illusions The parallel between AI's eloquent emptiness and our bias toward confident communication reveals something profound about the nature of intelligence itself.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
Which domains are operationally critical and which are purely communicative?—
Daniel Strauss,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Geminis are social, communicative, and witty, so give your child a name that can keep up!—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rhetorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetorical. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share