'Rhetorical' definitions:
Definition of 'rhetorical'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Of or relating to rhetoric; "accepted two or three verbal and rhetorical changes I suggested"- W.A.White; "the rhetorical sin of the meaningless variation"- Lewis Mumford
adjective
Given to rhetoric, emphasizing style at the expense of thought; "mere rhetorical frippery" [ant: unrhetorical]
Definition of 'Rhetorical'
From: GCIDE
- Rhetorical \Rhe*tor"ic*al\, a. [L. rhetoricus, Gr. ????. See Rhetoric.] Of or pertaining to rhetoric; according to, or exhibiting, rhetoric; oratorical; as, the rhetorical art; a rhetorical treatise; a rhetorical flourish. [1913 Webster]
- They permit him to leave their poetical taste ungratified, provided that he gratifies their rhetorical sense. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster] -- {Rhe*tor"ic*al*ly}, adv. -- {Rhe*tor"ic*al*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'rhetorical'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- affected,
- articulate,
- artificial,
- aureate,
- bedizened,
- big-sounding,
- bombastic,
- chichi,
- contrived,
- convoluted,
- declamatory,
- elevated,
- elocutionary,
- eloquent,
- embellished,
- euphuistic,
- exaggerated,
- expressive,
- extravagant,
- flamboyant,
- flaming,
- flashy,
- flaunting,
- florid,
- flowery,
- fluent,
- for effect,
- forensic,
- fulsome,
- fustian,
- garish,
- gassy,
- gaudy,
- glib,
- Gongoresque,
- grand,
- grandiloquent,
- grandiose,
- grandisonant,
- high-flowing,
- high-flown,
- high-flying,
- high-sounding,
- highfalutin,
- imposing,
- inflated,
- inkhorn,
- Johnsonian,
- labyrinthine,
- lexiphanic,
- linguistic,
- lofty,
- long-winded,
- lurid,
- magniloquent,
- meretricious,
- mouthy,
- oratorical,
- ornate,
- orotund,
- ostentatious,
- overblown,
- overdone,
- overelaborate,
- overinvolved,
- overwrought,
- pedantic,
- poetic,
- pompous,
- pretentious,
- prolix,
- purple,
- sensational,
- sensationalistic,
- sententious,
- sesquipedalian,
- showy,
- sonorous,
- stilted,
- stylistic,
- swelling,
- swollen,
- tall,
- tortuous,
- tumescent,
- tumid,
- turgid,
- unanswerable,
- vocal,
- voluble,
- windy,
- wordy