Rhetoric Meaning and Usage

Rhetoric

Noun

1. a. The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively; the power of persuasion or attraction; that which allures or charms.
b. A treatise or book discussing this art.
c. The art of composition; especially, elegant composition in prose.

2. a. A style of speaking or writing, especially the language of a particular subject: fiery political rhetoric.
b. Language that is elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or intellectually vacuous; artificial or exaggerated language, fine language or declamation without conviction or earnest feeling.

3. Verbal communication; discourse; the art of speaking with propriety, elegance, and force

4. wordiness; long speech




Rhetorical

Adjective

Rhetorical is the adjective form of rhetoric. Is also has a special usage. A rhetorical question is one for which answer is not expected.
Ex: "Do you think I'm stupid?" he asked rhetorically.



Forms:
rhetorical : Adjective
rhetorically : Adverb



Synonyms: oratory, eloquence, diction, bombast, loftiness, turgidity, boastfulness, bragging, heroics, hyperbole, pompousness, sonorousness, windiness, wordiness, verbosity, prolixity, elocution, declamation, speechifying, grandiloquence, spieling, rant, fustian, magniloquence, aureate, orotund, overblown, swollen.

Antonyms: conciseness, unrhetorical


Let's look at some examples:

1. In posing a rhetorical question, he hoped to get people thinking.
Adjective : Question for which answer is not expected.

2. His offers of compromise were mere rhetoric.
Adjective : declamation without conviction or earnest feeling

3. Instead, he simply left it to Vise President to spout the anti-American rhetoric.
Adjective : grandiloquence,magniloquence, sonorousness

4. The company’s rhetoric on breadth is not always backed up in fact, yet we regard it as a major 'brand' asset.
Adjective : boastfulness, grandiloquence,magniloquence, sonorousness,

5. What are the effects of the rhetorics of empowerment and participation pushed by government and NGOs?
6. The once politically centrist, science-based vision of environmentalism has been largely replaced with extremist rhetoric.
7. There's been no shortage of soaring rhetoric at this summit
Adjective : grandiloquence,magniloquence, sonorousness


8. He was considered to excel in this form of rhetoric.
Adjective: eloquence, Style of oration.

9. He had a tendency to engage in rhetorical hyperbole.
Adjective: overblown,


10. I got swayed by her rhetoric into donating all my savings to the charity.
Adjective: elocution, declamation