eloquent
Americanadjective
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having or exercising the power of fluent, forceful, and appropriate speech.
an eloquent orator.
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characterized by forceful and appropriate expression.
an eloquent speech.
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movingly expressive.
looks eloquent of disgust.
adjective
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(of speech, writing, etc) characterized by fluency and persuasiveness
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visibly or vividly expressive, as of an emotion
an eloquent yawn
Synonym Usage
Eloquent, fluent, articulate, expressive are adjectives that characterize speech or speakers notable for their effectiveness. Eloquent suggests clarity and power: an eloquent plea for disarmament. Fluent, with a root sense of flowing, refers to easy, smooth, facile speech: fluent in three languages. Articulate characterizes a clear and effective speaker or speech: an articulate spokesman for tax reform. Expressive focuses on rendering intelligible or meaningful the ideas or feelings of a speaker or writer and implies an especially effective, vivid use of language: a deeply moving, powerfully expressive evocation of a city childhood. See also fluent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of eloquent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ēloquent-, stem of ēloquēns “speaking out,” present participle of ēloquī “to speak out,” from ē- e- 1 + loquī “to speak”
Explanation
When you're eloquent, you have a way with words. An eloquent speaker expresses herself clearly and powerfully. Even though eloquent usually describes oral speech, it can also be used to describe powerful writing. Being eloquent is about using words well. All the great writers from English class — such as Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson, and Virginia Woolf — were eloquent. A great orator or speaker like Martin Luther King, Jr. was eloquent. When something is beautifully, gorgeously, perfectly said (or written), it's eloquent. Being eloquent requires your words to be smooth, clear, powerful, and interesting. To write or speak in an eloquent way takes a lot of work.
Vocabulary lists containing eloquent
Advanced English Words
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I've Been to the Mountaintop" (1968)
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Grade 9, List 6
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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.
He said her impact statement was both "eloquent and moving".
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Ryan Speedo Green was an eloquent Banquo; Freddie De Tommaso’s bright tenor brought poignant lyricism to Macduff’s lament for his murdered family.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Dudamel and the orchestra accompanied the eloquent Lila Downs and much of the evening was then given over to the popular, Grammy-gleaning Los Tigres del Norte.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
But unlike eloquent politicians known to be showhorses, enjoying the social media clips from their media hits, El-Sayed is a workhorse, and this combination makes him formidable.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
I’m a narrator; you’d think I could be a little more eloquent.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
