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
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Recent Examples of rhetorical
Trump and Carter are hardly the first pair of presidents to pour rhetorical oil on troubled waters, but the historical results, as with today, are mixed at best.
—
Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
By asking Grok to use X posts as a primary source and rhetorical inspiration, xAI is sending the large language model into a toxic landscape where trolls, political propagandists, and outright racists are some of the loudest voices.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
Current leaders would be wise to follow Kennedy’s exemplary rhetorical model when facing and talking publicly about today’s international crises.
—Richard Cherwitz, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2025
With these plans on the table, Mamdani’s victory provoked the city’s billionaire class and its water carriers to rhetorical paroxysms, including forecasts of economic armageddon for the city.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
By asking Grok to use X posts as a primary source and rhetorical inspiration, xAI is sending the large language model into a toxic landscape where trolls, political propagandists, and outright racists are some of the loudest voices.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
Current leaders would be wise to follow Kennedy’s exemplary rhetorical model when facing and talking publicly about today’s international crises.
—Richard Cherwitz, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2025
With these plans on the table, Mamdani’s victory provoked the city’s billionaire class and its water carriers to rhetorical paroxysms, including forecasts of economic armageddon for the city.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhetorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhetorical
Adjective
-
But political speech in the nineteenth century, as testified to by any number of senatorial addresses, tended toward the oratorical and long-winded.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
-
Not merely because of his superior oratorical pizazz but also his remarkable style.—
Julian Randall,
Essence,
4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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One of those Illinoisans, Terry Roman, has a little gray card with purple and blue stripes tucked into his very old wallet.—
Sophie Levenson,
Chicago Tribune,
20 July 2025
-
When left to bloom, their pink or purple flowers add extra flavor and visual appeal to salads or lend a pink tint and onion flavor to homemade vinegar.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
Without firm protections or clarity on future reimbursement, this budget sets up another round of fiscal instability for institutions that cannot afford to operate on hope and verbal commitments.—
Heather Somers,
Hartford Courant,
20 July 2025
-
But the moment quickly dissolves into a verbal ping-pong match between Shamea, Drew, and Porsha—because what’s a reunion without a few more sparks?—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
20 July 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
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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
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The linguistic breakdown remained consistent with 2024’s cumulative figures.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 July 2025
-
Drawing an analogy to 1970s research about whether non-human primates were capable of using language—which ultimately were found to have overstated the depth of linguistic capacity that chimpanzees possess—the authors argue that the AI scheming literature suffers from similar flaws.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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This vendor lock-in creates a dependency that can lead to inflated prices, limited feature sets and a slower pace of innovation.—
Rajat Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
The fish then, choking on the convenient snack, would have attempted to push the belemnite tissue out through the gills, while the inflated phragmocone remained in the mouth cavity, suffocating the animal in the process.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Seeking to obtain explicit support, Bolsonaro’s third son, Eduardo, a member of Brazil’s lower house of congress and his family’s most eloquent international voice, took a leave from his legislative duties and moved to the U.S. early this year.—
Rafael R. Ioris,
The Conversation,
14 July 2025
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This dress features striped detailing and an eloquent and understated length.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Which domains are operationally critical and which are purely communicative?—
Daniel Strauss,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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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 29 Jul. 2025.
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