1
Persuasive speech
Express ideas gracefully and convincingly.
Example
Her eloquent defence changed several votes.
eloquent
/ˈɛləkwənt/ · EL-uh-kwuhntadjective
Fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech, writing, or action.
Use eloquent when the context supports this precise meaning: fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech, writing, or action.
What eloquent Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Expressive writing
Communicate feeling or thought with force and clarity.
Example
The memoir is an eloquent meditation on exile.
3
Wordless expression
Convey meaning powerfully without language.
Example
The empty square became an eloquent symbol of loss.
Use eloquent Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Her eloquent defence changed several votes.
The memoir is an eloquent meditation on exile.
The empty square became an eloquent symbol of loss.
Precision Matters
Eloquent overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
eloquent
vs.Means fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech, writing, or action.
vociferous
Means loud, forceful, and insistent in expressing an opinion.
eloquent
vs.Means fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech, writing, or action.
laconic
Means using very few words.
eloquent
vs.Means fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech, writing, or action.
affecting
Means producing a strong emotional response; moving.
eloquent
vs.Means fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech, writing, or action.
inarticulate
Means unable to express ideas clearly.
Test eloquent in Context
The speech is both fluent and persuasive.
1
The advocate’s ___ closing statement combined precise evidence with language that moved the audience.