as in speech
the art of speaking in public eloquently and effectively
the oft-told story that he practiced elocution by learning to speak with a mouth full of pebbles
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Recent Examples of elocution
Elizabeth—with her precise elocution, her terrifying and obvious sincerity—sounded like a woman on the brink of a great cosmic battle.
—
Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Rosetta was unusually anxious about public speaking, so she was given elocution lessons.
—Anita Gates, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023
Would elocution stand a chance if it were formally reintroduced into the school curriculum today?
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2023
From elocution lessons to highway signs to serenades, startup founders looking to raise money in the Covid-19 era are developing new strategies to sell themselves and their companies—which might be only an idea on paper—through a video chat app on their laptop.
—Heather Somerville, WSJ, 19 Sep. 2020
See All Example Sentences for elocution
Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Rosetta was unusually anxious about public speaking, so she was given elocution lessons.
—Anita Gates, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023
Would elocution stand a chance if it were formally reintroduced into the school curriculum today?
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2023
From elocution lessons to highway signs to serenades, startup founders looking to raise money in the Covid-19 era are developing new strategies to sell themselves and their companies—which might be only an idea on paper—through a video chat app on their laptop.
—Heather Somerville, WSJ, 19 Sep. 2020
See All Example Sentences for elocution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elocution
Noun
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West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin’s shows were known for the walk and talk, but Sheridan favors the stop and talk, where one of his squinty-eyed, seen-it-all stand-ins launches into a speech.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2025
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In Tuesday’s speech, Trump blamed the surge on his Democratic predecessor.—
Steve Peoples,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Then with some of the most stirring words in American oratory, Kennedy told the students — and all of us — that individual courage can be a powerful force for good.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2025
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Stevenson’s oratory magnetism was powerful enough to unite, at least for a couple of hours, these disparate and sometimes adversarial forces.—
Robert Salonga,
The Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This could be reflected in Putin's rhetoric moving forward.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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The portfolio is better positioned to handle volatility if rhetoric escalates from here.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The initiative emphasizes college readiness, etiquette, public speaking, financial literacy and mental health awareness, among other essential life skills.—
City News Service,
Orange County Register,
19 Feb. 2025
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We are held back by a variety of factors: Fear of public speaking, lack of confidence, or uncertainty about how to craft a meaningful message.—
Matt Abrahams,
TIME,
17 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elocution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elocution. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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