rhetorical

adjective

ri-ˈtȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce rhetorical (audio)
variants also rhetoric
Definition of rhetoricalnext
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

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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

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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

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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 His recollections often take the form of dialogues in which interlocutors meekly acknowledge his overwhelming rhetorical advantage. — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Day-to-day shifts on the frontlines in Ukraine and rhetorical expressions of domestic discontent are not among Putin’s major concerns. — Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026 Tehran's Answer Is A Courtroom Iran's response so far has been legal and rhetorical, which is itself information. — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 The grid numbers driving the pause The rhetorical shift has been accompanied by concrete regulatory action. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
  1. oratorical
  2. ornate
  3. linguistic
  4. pontifical
  5. purple
  6. verbal
  7. inflated
  8. grandiloquent
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
Definition of oratorical
Adjective
  • Next up is a house tour, from the cavernous, all-white living room to a glimpse of the ornate indoor pool, with V lamenting that the place is so huge he sometimes gets lost.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Many of its original details, from formal entry galleries and large terraces to ornate moldings and herringbone floors, remain.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • Looking ahead to 2027, Quijote welcomes co-development opportunities across territories and languages, with no geographical or linguistic boundaries.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Musk isn’t the sort of guy who’s lets a minor linguistic or chronological irritation get in the way of a grand plan.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of linguistic
Adjective
  • In another decree published Monday, Leo canceled Francis’ plans to move some of the Vatican’s secret archives and library holdings out of the city state and onto the grounds of a pontifical university across town.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of pontifical
Adjective
  • However, new research suggests that these stellar corpses could glow in a range of colors including green, pink, cyan, yellow, and purple.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Fans located purple envelopes downtown and won Justin Jefferson jerseys.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of purple
Adjective
  • Baitz’s verbal gymnastics aren’t a good fit for Harris, who is at his most eloquent when his characters are at a loss for words.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The victim told officers that her soon-to-be ex-husband, identified as Fitzgerald, had come to her home multiple times after making verbal threats over the phone.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of verbal
Adjective
  • The boxes allegedly cost substantially less to produce, allowing the conspirators to use the inflated prices to finance bribes and divert government funds.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, conventional estimates produced inflated efficiency values that failed to reflect actual device behavior under operating conditions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflated
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
Definition of grandiloquent

Browse Nearby Words

rhetoric
rhetorical
rhetorician
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Cite this Entry

“Rhetorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhetorical. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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