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
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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
One source of Trump’s instinctive, inimitable political talent is that, for him, oratory and advertisement are entirely coeval domains.
—
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024
He was not limited to a single playing field either in sports (baseball, basketball, and football) or the arts (acting, oratory, and singing).
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024
Rather oddly, for a film celebrating oratory in the Arabic language and in a particular Sudanese vernacular, the end credits feature a song in French: a language foreign to Sudanese people.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024
He was not limited to a single playing field either in sports (baseball, basketball, and football) or the arts (acting, oratory, and singing).
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024
Rather oddly, for a film celebrating oratory in the Arabic language and in a particular Sudanese vernacular, the end credits feature a song in French: a language foreign to Sudanese people.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oratory
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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But new and legacy spending ambitions continue unabated, as Congress—despite the GOP’s small-government rhetoric—has long capitulated to progressive aims.—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr.,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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And now, as layoffs on the federal government rise, business confidence falls, and economic forecasts weaken, Wall Street—long used to Trump's market-friendly rhetoric—is being told by the president to embrace the volatility as part of a longer-term strategy.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 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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Graduate programs must preserve aspects of that model while incorporating internship or experiential learning opportunities, media training, public speaking, broader writing skillsets, project management and entrepreneurship.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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The other popular fears on the list included public speaking, crowded spaces, fire, and dentists.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oratory. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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