1
as in speech
the art of speaking in public eloquently and effectively
a presidential hopeful with a gift for oratory and a highly charismatic personality
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in rhetoric
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
the politician's oratory sounded good only to people who didn't bother to think
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oratory
Obama made his name with soaring oratory about a collective opportunity to fulfill America’s promise and a memoir that was deeply introspective about his role in that fight.
—
Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
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
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
World & Nation Profile : Le Pen: Dark Side of the French Soul : Crude, powerful and dangerous, the onetime barroom brawler with the mesmerizing oratory has built a career on hatred.
—Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
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
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
World & Nation Profile : Le Pen: Dark Side of the French Soul : Crude, powerful and dangerous, the onetime barroom brawler with the mesmerizing oratory has built a career on hatred.
—Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oratory
Noun
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In the five-minute-long speech, the once-Democratic presidential candidate also addressed climate change, women’s reproductive rights, wealth inequality and healthcare inaccessibility.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2025
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At the grand opening that September, former Republican President George W. Bush, who had signed the bill authorizing federal funding for the museum, and Barack Obama, a Democrat and then the nation’s first Black president, delivered passionate speeches supporting the museum.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Despite the current rhetoric, there seems to be rare agreement on addressing what many believe is a high-stakes issue.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
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While Trump vowed repeatedly during the 2016, 2020 and 2024 election cycles not to cut Medicare, his actual record belies the rhetoric.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The recordings also capture Bell’s family background in elocution (his father, grandfather, and brother all taught the subject).—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2018
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The Bartlet staff’s righteous (and self-righteous) elocution might seem — to the cynical — sentimental, treacly, smarmy, or just eye-roll-inducingly dumb.—
Lizzie Logan,
Vulture,
23 Sep. 2024
Noun
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This includes emotional public speaking, tagging, looting, vandalism, or provoking the police.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
9 Apr. 2025
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These past comments from Trump have often appeared to be in jest, or just an excuse to excite his loyal fan base during public speaking.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oratory. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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