enunciate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to utter or pronounce (words, sentences, etc.), especially in an articulate or a particular manner.
He enunciates his words distinctly.
-
to state or declare definitely, as a theory.
-
to announce or proclaim.
to enunciate one's intentions.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to articulate or pronounce (words), esp clearly and distinctly
-
(tr) to state precisely or formally
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
enunciabilitynoun
-
enunciationnoun
-
enunciatornoun
-
reenunciateverb
-
enunciableadjective
-
enunciativeadjective
-
enunciatoryadjective
-
nonenunciativeadjective
-
nonenunciatoryadjective
-
unenunciableadjective
-
unenunciatedadjective
-
unenunciativeadjective
-
enunciativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
enunciatesimple
-
enunciatessimple
-
have enunciatedperfect
-
has enunciatedperfect
-
am enunciatingprogressive
-
are enunciatingprogressive
-
is enunciatingprogressive
-
have been enunciatingperfect progressive
-
has been enunciatingperfect progressive
Past
-
enunciatedsimple
-
had enunciatedperfect
-
was enunciatingprogressive
-
were enunciatingprogressive
-
had been enunciatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of enunciate
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ēnūntiātus (past participle of ēnūntiāre ), equivalent to ē- “from, out of” ( see e- 1) + nūnti(us) “messenger, message” + -ātus suffix ( see -ate 1)
Explanation
Can't get your point across? Maybe you just need to speak more clearly or articulate your thoughts better — in short, enunciate. Good enunciation is similar to pronunciation, but describes more specifically how clearly someone expresses themselves. The word enunciate is related to the Latin words for both "announce" and "messenger." So most likely those ancient Romans who created the word wanted a messenger who could announce things without mumbling, grumbling, and rambling.
Vocabulary lists containing enunciate
Unit 1: Telling Details
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Tongues Untied: The Lingo of Linguistics
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Compassionate means you care about people and the policies you enunciate help people .
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
And I don’t enunciate and I can’t say half the words in the English language to this day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024
The coordinator, too, wants Howell to “over-communicate” and enunciate clearly so that teammates don’t miss a word, Howell says.
From Washington Times ● May 31, 2023
Biden has a stutter, which can make it seem as if he can’t remember words when in fact he is struggling to enunciate them.
From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2023
They had lost the ability to enunciate words but could still mimic a range of human vocal sounds, from a child's high-pitched warble to a man's deep tones.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Constitution, which enunciates the right to a “speedy and public trial” and to “be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.”
From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2024
Chandrasekhar admitted he was no Jacques Bailly, the University of Vermont classics professor who has been the competition’s official pronouncer since 2003 and enunciates each word with a vaguely Midwestern intonation.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 2, 2022
The cast, a multiethnic ensemble as it is in all “Hamilton” productions, enunciates more precisely than their American counterparts.
From New York Times ● Jan. 5, 2018
Sumpter nails the first lady’s air of warm but reserved composure and the slow, careful way she enunciates her words, as if putting an extra measure of thought into choosing each phrase.
From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2016
“A pi-a-nist,” he enunciates, sauntering into the music room.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
The entire venue was suspended in a hush stillness, and Bennett’s voice was so strong and clear that you could hear every crystalline note, every enunciated lyric, even in the cheap seats.
From New York Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
With free shipping! — but if Prime Video hasn’t yet enunciated as clear a brand identity as competitors like Disney+, it remains part of an attractive package deal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2023
“Jamie Lee Curtis,” producer DeVon Franklin enunciated loudly into the mic.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2023
Jazz players considered her their musical equal, yet even when she was singing at breakneck tempos, she enunciated every word with perfect clarity.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 24, 2023
Slowly, she enunciated the new words I was to repeat: laundromat, corn flakes, subway, snow.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
She would sit with me for hours on the couch, pointing to words in books and magazines, and patiently enunciating them, bantering with me in an inexhaustible volley of puns, spoonerisms and goofy double entendres.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 12, 2023
An LDS church spokesman later said the organization was not endorsing specific legislation but rather Mr. Bednar was enunciating “guiding principles” on the matter.
From Washington Times ● May 26, 2022
“You ask somebody how they’re doing now, you better be careful, because they might tell you,” he says, enunciating consonants like a boxer following through on uppercuts.
From New York Times ● Oct. 29, 2021
He used an exaggerated tone, enunciating the “er” at the end of the word rather than using the “a” pronunciation, which is more commonly accepted among and used by Black people, studies have shown.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2021
“The Ho-lo-caust,” Maya-Jade repeated, enunciating each syllable like a kindergarten teacher.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
