articulate

American  

[ahr-tik-yuh-lit, ahr-tik-yuh-leyt] / ɑrˈtɪk jə lɪt, ɑrˈtɪk jəˌleɪt /

adjective

1. uttered clearly in distinct syllables.

2. capable of speech; not speechless.

3. using language easily and fluently; having facility with words.

   an articulate speaker.

4. expressed, formulated, or presented with clarity and effectiveness.

   an articulate thought.

   Synonyms:

   expressive

   Antonyms:

   unintelligible, inarticulate

5. made clear, distinct, and precise in relation to other parts.

   an articulate form; an articulate shape; an articulate area.

6. (of ideas, form, etc.) having a meaningful relation to other parts.

   an articulate image.

7. having parts or distinct areas organized into a coherent or meaningful whole; unified.

   an articulate system of philosophy.

8. Zoology. having joints or articulations; composed of segments.

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verb (used with object)

• articulates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• articulated,
  past participle,  past
• articulating
  present participle

1. to utter clearly and distinctly; pronounce with clarity.

   Synonyms:

   enunciate

   Antonyms:

   mumble

2. Phonetics. to make the movements and adjustments of the speech organs necessary to utter (a speech sound).

3. to give clarity or distinction to.

   to articulate a shape; to articulate an idea.

4. Dentistry. to position or reposition (teeth); subject to articulation.

5. to unite by a joint or joints.

6. to reveal or make distinct.

   an injection to articulate arteries so that obstructions can be observed by x-ray.

verb (used without object)

• articulates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• articulated,
  past participle,  past
• articulating
  present participle

1. to pronounce clearly each of a succession of speech sounds, syllables, or words; enunciate.

   to articulate with excessive precision.

2. Phonetics. to articulate a speech sound.

3. Anatomy, Zoology. to form a joint.

4. Obsolete. to make terms of agreement.

noun

1. a segmented invertebrate.

articulate British  

adjective

1. able to express oneself fluently and coherently

   an articulate lecturer

2. having the power of speech

3. distinct, clear, or definite; well-constructed

   an articulate voice

   an articulate document

4. zoology (of arthropods and higher vertebrates) possessing joints or jointed segments

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verb

1. to speak or enunciate (words, syllables, etc) clearly and distinctly

2. (tr) to express coherently in words

3. (intr) zoology to be jointed or form a joint

4. (tr) to separate into jointed segments

Synonym Usage

See eloquent.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• articulacy
  noun
• articulateness
  noun
• nonarticulateness
  noun
• subarticulateness
  noun
• misarticulate
  verb
• overarticulate
  verb
• rearticulate
  verb
• articulable
  adjective
• articulative
  adjective
• multiarticulate
  adjective
• nonarticulate
  adjective
• nonarticulative
  adjective
• overarticulate
  adjective
• prearticulate
  adjective
• pseudoarticulate
  adjective
• semiarticulate
  adjective
• subarticulate
  adjective
• subarticulative
  adjective
• unarticulate
  adjective
• unarticulative
  adjective
• articulately
  adverb
• nonarticulately
  adverb
• pseudoarticulately
  adverb
• semiarticulately
  adverb
• subarticulately
  adverb
• unarticulately
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• articulating
  present
• articulated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• articulate
  simple
• articulates
  simple
• have articulated
  perfect
• has articulated
  perfect
• am articulating
  progressive
• are articulating
  progressive
• is articulating
  progressive
• have been articulating
  perfect progressive
• has been articulating
  perfect progressive

Past

• articulated
  simple
• had articulated
  perfect
• was articulating
  progressive
• were articulating
  progressive
• had been articulating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will articulate
  simple
• will have articulated
  perfect
• will be articulating
  progressive
• will have been articulating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of articulate

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin articulātus, past participle of articulāre “to divide into distinct parts”; see origin at article, -ate ¹

Explanation

To articulate is to say something. And, if you say it well, someone might praise you by saying you are articulate. Confused yet? It's all in the pronunciation. Reach for articulate when you need an adjective meaning "well-spoken" (pronounced ar-TIC-yuh-lit) or a verb (ar-TIC-yuh-late) meaning "to speak or express yourself clearly." The key to understanding articulate's many uses is to think of the related noun article: an articulate person clearly pronounces each article of his or her speech (that is, each word and syllable), and an articulated joint is divided up into distinct articles, or parts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

articulate articulates articulated articulating

The book alleges: "Unlike my other callers, who were stunned, barely able to articulate their condolences and offers of help, he sounded giddily elated - like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time."

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“I’d be shocked if every 2028 candidate didn’t start to articulate plans for how they’ll handle AI, how they want to regulate it,” UPenn’s Levendusky said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Yet Cusk has found a large fan base for her work, mainly because she is a deft excavator of the human psyche, a writer who can articulate emotional states with uncanny precision and insight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

One early goal was to clearly identify and articulate their mission and north star, which is to “connect people, data and applications quickly, securely and effortlessly,” he noted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Eddie Driscoll, a wonderfully articulate student ranked number two in the senior class, loved to read and debate and throw out ideas.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

But it articulates the logic hovering around the episode: If Americans can be taught to eat correctly, perhaps they will require less care — and perhaps the government can spend less providing it.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

“Backrooms,” the No. 1 movie in the country currently, is a horror movie that takes place in a seemingly endless liminal space that articulates itself as generic strip mall or office spaces.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

In late November, China, for the first time in nearly two decades, omitted any mention of North Korean disarmament from a periodically released defense white paper that articulates its stance on global threats.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 5, 2026

Zamaraeva and Artem Kureev, the editor in chief of African Initiative, dispute the suggestion that “African Dawn” articulates genocidal themes, pointing out that the original game revolved around Nazi Germany’s attempt to dominate the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2025

The division of the liberal arts is not accidental; it articulates a coherent system of thought.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

If all myths, including superhero stories, are meant to be allegories, then think of this episode as an expansion of a motto articulated in a 2013 episode of “Scandal.”

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

The fall 2026 collection from Georgian brand Lado Bokuchava is a silver grommet fantasia, and Hodakova has been making elegantly articulated spiky clothing for a number of seasons now.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Feroli and his colleagues articulated their concerns in JPMorgan’s weekly prospects note, dispatched to clients late Friday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

But as John Maynard Keynes brilliantly articulated, what matters isn’t the state of the economy but consumer sentiment, how people feel about the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Stuart Symington, the secretary of the Air Force, articulated Americans' fears in their starkest terms.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

The new prime minister looked at ease making an argument and articulating his political creed.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Apple said in its filing Monday that OpenAI didn’t respond to messages to its general counsel or to a letter articulating concerns about trade secrets leaking and asking to discuss possible remedies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Oil is really the only asset that’s experienced the kind of shock Kaur is articulating.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

Get Go is a homage to London, with snatches of pirate radio and a crisp two-step beat, articulating a story about the therapeutic feeling of dancing with strangers.

From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026

I repeat, louder this time, articulating every syllable, like he doesn’t speak the language.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

Related Words

• coherent
• eloquent
• expressive
• fluent
• well-spoken