rhetoric
265
7.0
- noun
- /ˈrɛtərɪk/
:
retórica
- That is empty rhetoric, the likes of which you always use.
- political rhetoric
- empty rhetoric
- inflammatory rhetoric
They're, they're saying these things, using this rhetoric, and it's all because of money.
- They're, they're saying these things, using this rhetoric, and it's all because of money.
- Do not believe all of this horrible, hateful rhetoric about immigrants.
- In which divisive cultural rhetoric had just reached toxic levels.
- A lot of angry rhetoric coming out of it.
- Trite prose instead of poetry or getting beyond that crazy rhetoric garbage.
- I wish it was just rhetoric and be more enjoyable if it was.
- And it's nouveau riche, flashy, blowhard hate rhetoric from the top all the way down.
- He actually, he says crazy rhetoric, but he governs like a moderate.
- That is empty rhetoric, the likes of which you always use.
- We don't want to be overrun by this horrible rhetoric of theirs.
- My mother plans all of this alarmist rhetoric.
- And there was a lot of Islamophobic, I will say, rhetoric in prison as well.
- And since then he has dropped the nationalist rhetoric.
- And and that's like straight white supremacist rhetoric, right?
Examples
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The president has regularly employed the rhetoric of the virtuous, but his actions have not matched his words.
Academic text (2008) -
But the rhetoric is about fear.
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And the rhetoric around it is more about guilt than anything.
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Because in the real world, no one wants to hear excuses or empty rhetoric.
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Congress can make its preferences felt through tough rhetoric, hearings, investigations, and reporting requirements.
Academic text (2011) -
Spare me the rhetoric.
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It's just pure rhetoric.
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Many politicians rely on rhetoric instead of concrete solutions to problems.
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Her speech was filled with rhetoric that sounded impressive but lacked real substance.
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Critics dismissed his comments as mere rhetoric aimed at gaining public support.
Synonyms
578
2.5
Words or ideas that do not make sense
28
7.7
A remark used so often that it sounds dull and gives no new idea
24
8.6
Empty showy talk with little real meaning
18
7.9
A long talk that tries to convince people to buy something
17
5.3
Talk that sounds important but has no real meaning
17
7.2
Loud talk that tries to impress but has little real effect
13
8.8
Talk that is not true and tries to trick people
9
9.9
Confusing speech or writing full of technical words that most people cannot understand
7
9.8
Use of clever but false arguments to trick people
5
9.3
Words or ideas that sound important but have little real meaning
4
9.4
Speech or writing that uses large, showy words but has little real meaning
3
8.1
Using short catchy phrases to persuade people without real reasons
3
5.1
Talk that has no real meaning and is not useful
3
8.5
A type of speech that sounds smooth but not honest
2
8.8
A lot of talk that sounds important but says nothing
1
9.6
Talk that tries to trick people with false statements
1
4.3
Words that sound important but have no real meaning or action
Speech that sounds important but has no real action
Speaking in a smooth, confident way that does not seem sincere
Speech or writing that uses big, fancy words to sound important
Language that uses big, fancy words to sound important
Language that tries to sound important but has little meaning
Language full of long hard words used to seem clever
An explanation that is vague and lacks proof or important detail
Compounds
- Literature
Political speech that focuses on poverty and helping poor people
How Empty
Surface Forms
Etymology
Rhetoric comes from the Greek word rhetor 'speaker', but a helpful way to remember its negative use is to think of speech that is all style and no real idea. So when people say 'empty rhetoric' they mean language that sounds impressive but has little real meaning or action.