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

“We have seen this massive divide in our country where people articulate differences, and the distance grows into huge, huge gaps,” Hijazi said on a 2021 panel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

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

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026

He also did the Rams and USC football with a calm, articulate and authoritative delivery that was so powerful, it had its own echo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 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

“I thought you might like it,” Poppet said, sounding unnerved by his lack of articulate response.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

"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

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

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 despite the pessimism frequently articulated by bearish investors, year after year, stock prices in recent decades have generally powered higher.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 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

The consistency of United's messaging is being articulated in a summer where they are keen to prove they will not be bullied into overpaying to get deals over the line.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

I could not have articulated this, not as I sweated through those searing afternoons in the forklift.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

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

"However, these pathways are discretionary and rely on police identifying and articulating the situation as urgent," she said.

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

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

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

Although I am not articulating it to myself in so many words, I am feeling jealous that Carrie can have Corey while I can never have Rhiannon.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

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Related Words

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

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