articulate

American  

[ahr-tik-yuh-lit, ahr-tik-yuh-layt] / 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

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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

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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

Still, it’s overdue for the alliance to update and articulate its theory of European defense in this new era of warfare the way it did during the Cold War.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

“We hear the VP views Schmitt as trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator,” VandeHei wrote.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026

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

As was customary in their nineteen years of marriage, he left the grits on his plate untouched, an unexpressed but articulate declaration, rooted in geography, that the society he married into had not assimilated him.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

"Whoever articulates a clear position and sticks to it, in either party, really stands to benefit."

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

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

Depending on the way I’ve prepared for class that week, I’ll compose a narrative about the slides in a way that articulates what collage might offer us.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 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

Labour figures are enthused that they now have a leader with what they see as a clear sense of purpose that can be easily articulated.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

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

But while the settlement sidesteps any admission of wrongdoing by the company, it does compel Meta to combat problems few parents knew existed, in terms far starker than those it has articulated before.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

She articulated exactly how long since Maddie had piloted a plane, a known tact.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

"She has an incredible way of articulating the female experience," she says.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 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

Germans for good reasons are squeamish about articulating a strong idea of “Germanness.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

“We were early in articulating the risk to legacy broadband providers from FWA, which the industry underestimated, as they are doing with satellite now,” Horan wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026

One day my tongue lay like a lump of meat in my mouth, the next day it was articulating words that hadn’t been spoken in over a year.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

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Related Words

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

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