rhetoric

American  

[ret-er-ik] / ˈrɛt ər ɪk /

noun

1. (in writing or speech) the undue use of exaggeration or display; bombast.

2. the art or science of all specialized literary uses of language in prose or verse, including the figures of speech.

3. the study of the effective use of language.

4. the ability to use language effectively.

5. the art of prose in general as opposed to verse.

6. the art of making persuasive speeches; oratory.

7. (in classical oratory) the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience.

8. (in older use) a work on rhetoric.

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rhetoric British  

/ ˈrɛtərɪk /

noun

1. the study of the technique of using language effectively

2. the art of using speech to persuade, influence, or please; oratory

3. excessive use of ornamentation and contrivance in spoken or written discourse; bombast

4. speech or discourse that pretends to significance but lacks true meaning

   all the politician says is mere rhetoric

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Etymology

Origin of rhetoric

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin rhētorica, from Greek rhētorikḕ (téchnē) “rhetorical (art)”; replacing Middle English rethorik, from Medieval Latin rēthorica, Latin rhētorica, as above

Explanation

Rhetoric is speaking or writing that's intended to persuade. If your goal is to write editorial columns for the New York Times, you should work on your rhetoric. Rhetoric comes from the Greek meaning "speaker" and is used for the art of persuasive speaking or writing. When people listened eagerly to long speeches and studied them in school, rhetoric was generally used positively; now it is often a negative term, implying artfulness over real content. If someone gives a clever speech but doesn't really address the problem, you might say, "That's just a lot of rhetoric."

Example Sentences

Anxieties in the aftermath of World War II and the dawn of the Cold War brought another rise of Christian rhetoric in U.S. civic life.

From Salon • Jun. 29, 2026

“What Canada must achieve goes beyond the prevailing self-congratulatory rhetoric: transforming its comparative advantages—clean energy, resources, expertise—into new production capacity,” Jean says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

This, coupled with Warsh’s rhetoric regarding inflation, left investors with the impression that an interest-rate hike later this year is more likely than not.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026

Mike Makowsky’s dramatic miniseries “Death by Lightning” faithfully preserves the stirring rhetoric of the man who would become America’s 20th commander in chief.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

How a piece of rhetoric sounds—and this applies just as much whether it is heard out loud or scanned by the inner ear while being read on the page—is vital to its effectiveness.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• hyperbole
• oratory