enunciate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to utter or pronounce (words, sentences, etc.), especially in an articulate or a particular manner.
He enunciates his words distinctly.
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to state or declare definitely, as a theory.
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to announce or proclaim.
to enunciate one's intentions.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to articulate or pronounce (words), esp clearly and distinctly
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(tr) to state precisely or formally
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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enunciabilitynoun
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enunciativeadjective
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unenunciableadjective
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reenunciateverb
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enunciationnoun
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enunciatoryadjective
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nonenunciatoryadjective
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unenunciatedadjective
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nonenunciativeadjective
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enunciativelyadverb
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unenunciativeadjective
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enunciableadjective
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enunciatornoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have enunciatedperfect
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has enunciatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been enunciatingperfect progressive
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is enunciatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are enunciatingprogressive
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has been enunciatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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enunciatessingular 3rd person
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enunciatingparticiple
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am enunciatingprogressive 1st person singular
Past
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had enunciatedperfect
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had been enunciatingperfect progressive
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enunciatedsimple
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enunciatedparticiple
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were enunciatingprogressive plural
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was enunciatingprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of enunciate
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ēnūntiātus (past participle of ēnūntiāre ), equivalent to ē- “from, out of” ( see e- 1) + nūnti(us) “messenger, message” + -ātus suffix ( see -ate 1)
Explanation
Can't get your point across? Maybe you just need to speak more clearly or articulate your thoughts better — in short, enunciate. Good enunciation is similar to pronunciation, but describes more specifically how clearly someone expresses themselves. The word enunciate is related to the Latin words for both "announce" and "messenger." So most likely those ancient Romans who created the word wanted a messenger who could announce things without mumbling, grumbling, and rambling.
Vocabulary lists containing enunciate
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Tongues Untied: The Lingo of Linguistics
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And I don’t enunciate and I can’t say half the words in the English language to this day.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2024
He doesn't think screen acting has changed much over the decades but he does have a grumble about "mumbling" - actors who fail to enunciate their lines.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2023
As the minutes and hours passed, his efforts to enunciate became more strained.
From New York Times • Dec. 23, 2022
“Seinfeld”: In the episode “The Great Mask Debate,” Elaine tries to get Kramer to enunciate the “k” in that phrase.
From Washington Post • Jan. 21, 2021
Then I cleared my throat and said my log-in pass phrase, being careful to enunciate: “You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada.”
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
