eloquence

noun

el·​o·​quence ˈe-lə-kwən(t)s 

1

: discourse marked by force and persuasiveness

also : the art or power of using such discourse

2

: the quality of forceful or persuasive expressiveness

Synonyms

• rhetoric
• poetry
• articulateness

Examples of eloquence in a Sentence

The senator's eloquence is well known.

She spoke with eloquence on the need for better schools.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those for whom there is no greater eloquence than silence. —Huda Fakhreddine august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025

Investors expect perpetual outperformance, teams expect infallible guidance, regulators expect clairvoyance, and the media expect quotable eloquence. —Pankaj Vasani, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Mercury in Leo on June 26 boosts your confidence and eloquence, so use it wisely. —Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2025

My euphoria stemmed as much from the mandarin eloquence of the characters as from the unanticipated magic that can happen when a playwright finds his community of actors. —Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin ēloquentia, noun derivative of ēloquent-, ēloquens "capable of speech, expressing oneself fluently, eloquent"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

eloquence

noun

el·​o·​quence ˈel-ə-kwən(t)s 

: speech or writing that is forceful and convincing

also : the art or power of speaking or writing in a forceful and convincing way