Synonyms of rhetorical

rhetorical

adjective

ri-ˈtȯr-i-kəl 

variants also rhetoric

1

as in oratorical

marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases

you can skip over the rhetorical passages and still get the gist of the essay

Synonyms & Similar Words

• oratorical
• pontifical
• inflated
• ornate
• gaseous
• bombastic
• grandiloquent
• fustian
• elevated
• gassy
• flatulent
• windy
• orotund
• grandiose
• pretentious
• turgid
• pompous
• flowery
• hifalutin
• florid
• high-sounding
• lofty
• stilted
• wordy
• high-flown
• bloated
• verbose
• highfalutin
• tumid
• overdone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• eloquent
• direct
• unrhetorical
• simple
• matter-of-fact
• plain
• straightforward
• stark
• unadorned
• well-spoken
• unaffected
• unpretentious
• bald
• plainspoken

2

as in purple

full of fine words and fancy expressions

the new governor delivered a long rhetorical speech about our state's bright future but laid out no specific programs for ensuring it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• purple
• grandiloquent
• eloquent
• hifalutin
• flowery
• high-sounding
• ornate
• florid
• high-flown
• highfalutin
• aureate
• grandiose
• excessive
• pretentious
• inflated
• pompous
• bombastic
• magnific
• boastful
• flattering
• stilted
• fulsome
• bloated
• fancy-pants
• bookish
• affected
• lofty
• learned
• inkhorn
• elevated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prosaic
• direct
• simple
• plain
• matter-of-fact
• unpoetic
• spare
• lean
• straightforward
• stark
• unadorned
• natural
• bald
• unaffected
• plainspoken
• unpretentious

3

as in verbal

of or relating to words or language

the next war that those two nations fight won't be rhetorical—it will be with bombs and bullets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• verbal
• linguistic
• communicative
• linguistical
• lexical
• wordy
• vocabular
• conversational

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonverbal
• nonlinguistic
• nonlexical

Examples of rhetorical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Polls show these two men are strangers to a large chunk of the electorate, and Vance is clearly mindful of the need for that type of overview before getting into the rhetorical meat and potatoes of the evening. —Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024

Apples in a barrel for the Dems, the lie that Vance and Trump have been spinning quickly got lost in the rhetorical shuffle. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024

Another about Harlan arguing with Ray Bradbury (America’s sweetest doomsday prophet) about Walt Disney and America and capitalism — the two of them shouting themselves hoarse for hours because neither would give up an inch of rhetorical ground. —Jason Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2024

Once the answers become ossified, the questions become rhetorical, and the education ceases to cultivate the child’s capacities. —Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024