rhetorically

American  

[ri-tawr-ik-lee, -tor-] / rɪˈtɔr ɪk li, -ˈtɒr- /

adverb

1. in a way that uses language for style or effect.

   These essays discuss how the term participatory has been deployed rhetorically by a range of institutions.

2. not expecting an answer, either because the answer is unknowable or because it is obvious.

   I am not asking the question rhetorically or snidely.

3. in way that uses language in an exaggerated way.

   The realities of the global marketplace are quite apparent; they don't need to be rhetorically beaten to death.

4. in a way that uses specialized literary language, such as figures of speech.

   Some of the entries are concise, but most of them are verbally and rhetorically elaborate.

5. in a way that uses language particularly effectively.

   Her testimony was rhetorically strong, but scientifically weak.

6. using words, especially in the absence of action.

   He fails to demonstrate the validity of his claims, but merely asserts them rhetorically.

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Other Word Forms

• nonrhetorically adverb
• unrhetorically adverb

Etymology

Origin of rhetorically

rhetorical ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

“Do you know many nanoseconds it takes,” Kavanagh asked rhetorically, “to make a decision between Milwaukee, Wisc., and Sacramento, Calif.?”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Maybe that’s true — but it doesn’t mean it’s rhetorically ineffective.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

Similarly, in last week’s primary, Democrats chose as their Senate candidate James Talarico, who is rhetorically moderate compared with his opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

But for many, the absence of a Capitol tribute underscores a familiar tension: America celebrates its reformers rhetorically, even as its institutions struggle to fully honor them.

From Salon • Feb. 21, 2026

“Have you ever fallen asleep at the wheel and had to shake yourself awake?” she asks rhetorically.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel