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

With verbal chops like those, who needs an articulate press secretary?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

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

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026

Last week, Harvard College’s former dean criticized university presidents’ remarks during a congressional hearing on antisemitism in 2023, arguing that Gay and others couldn’t articulate the mission and purpose of a university.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 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

Then he became conscious of something which had been waiting to be noticed—that there was a noise in his head which was articulate.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

I still think about it and watch it over and over again because it beautifully articulates something I’ve always believed but struggle to find the words to explain.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 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

She articulates these jagged edges on the crashing album opener “Coast,” with lyrics such as “I got the pedal on the floor / Or I’m slamming on the brakes / I could never just coast.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 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

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

His mission statement, articulated in an essay published online, was to invest early and big in AI technologies, both public and private, and until very recently his bets had paid off handsomely.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

It isn’t articulated as such, but a bonus of “Techniquely” is that the food being prepared can be for one or two people.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Cussler articulated a simple explanation of what motivated him.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Both leads are exceptional, with Zischler articulating the great writer’s arrogance and willful denial of the inconvenient truths he wants to ignore.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

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

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

His chairmanship could turn on articulating a strategy for a central bank operating in a world of deglobalization, reduced immigration and recurring conflict—one that looks little like the 1990s he holds up as a model.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 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

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

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Related Words

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

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