Public Speaking Vocabulary

noun a group of people who gather to watch or listen to a performance, speech, or presentation

• The speaker captivated the audience with her eloquent speech.
• The comedian had the audience in stitches with his jokes.
• The band totally rocked out and the audience was lit!
• The artist's painting spoke to a universal audience, transcending language barriers.

noun a county in North Carolina, United States

• The politician's speech was full of buncombe and lacked any substantial policy proposals.
• Don't listen to him, he's just talking buncombe.
• I can't believe people actually fall for that buncombe.
• Her excuses were nothing but buncombe to avoid taking responsibility.

noun a person who enjoys or is skilled at engaging in conversation

• She was known as a skilled conversationalist, always able to engage in deep discussions on a variety of topics.
• John is a great conversationalist at parties, always keeping the conversation flowing smoothly.
• Samantha is such a chatterbox, a real conversationalist who never runs out of things to say.
• His words were like a symphony, flowing effortlessly from his lips as if he were a master conversationalist.

verb to show or prove something clearly through evidence or examples

• The scientist was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new drug through a series of carefully controlled experiments.
• She demonstrated how to do a perfect cartwheel in the gym.
• He really knows how to demonstrate his skills on the basketball court.
• Her actions demonstrate her commitment to the cause more than words ever could.

noun the act of enunciating or speaking clearly

verb to pronounce words clearly and distinctly

• It is important to enunciate clearly when speaking in public.
• Can you enunciate that a bit more? I didn't catch what you said.
• Yo, you need to enunciate your words if you want people to understand you.
• Her actions enunciate her true intentions more than her words ever could.

verb to fail or be unsuccessful, especially in a dramatic or embarrassing way

• The marketing campaign may fall flat if we don't target the right audience.
• I hope your joke doesn't fall flat at the party tonight.
• His attempt to impress her with his dance moves fell flat.
• Her dreams of becoming a famous singer fell flat when she realized she had no talent.

adjective describing someone who speaks openly and honestly without hesitation or reservation

• The professor appreciated the student's free spoken presentation during the seminar.
• I always enjoy your free spoken stories, they are so entertaining!
• Her free spoken rap lyrics were fire!
• His free spoken words flowed like a river, captivating everyone in the room.

noun a large and typically roofed stand for spectators at a sports event

verb to behave in a showy or ostentatious manner in order to impress others

• The spectators filled the grandstand to watch the championship game.
• Let's grab some seats in the grandstand for a better view.
• We snagged front row in the grandstand for the concert.
• She always takes a grandstand position on controversial issues.

verb to insert or introduce between parts, especially in a conversation or writing

• The author chose to interlard the text with quotes from famous philosophers.
• She likes to interlard her speech with random facts she learned online.
• I always interlard my Instagram captions with emojis.
• The artist interlarded the painting with hidden symbols and meanings.

noun a preliminary part, as of a book, musical composition, or the like, leading up to the main part

verb to introduce

adjective serving to introduce; preliminary; initial

• The introduction of the new policy was met with mixed reactions from the employees.
• The introduction of the new guy to the team went smoothly.
• The introduction of the latest tech gadget blew everyone's minds.
• The introduction of a new idea can open up a world of possibilities.

adjective talkative or chatty, especially in a fluent and easy manner

• The professor was known for being loquacious during lectures, often going off on tangents.
• My aunt is so loquacious, she can talk for hours without taking a breath.
• I can't stand hanging out with that loquacious guy, he never stops talking.
• Her loquacious nature was like a bubbling brook, constantly flowing with words.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb by providing information on how something is done

• She spoke loudly during the presentation, making sure everyone could hear her.
• The music at the party was playing so loudly that we could feel the bass in our chests.
• He was laughing loudly at the joke, nearly falling out of his chair.
• Her personality shone loudly in the room, commanding attention from everyone around her.

noun a person's first speech in a legislative assembly or other formal setting

• The new member of parliament delivered her maiden speech with poise and eloquence.
• I heard that Sarah is nervous about giving her maiden speech in front of the whole class.
• Did you catch Jake's maiden speech at the meeting? It was pretty impressive.
• The artist's first exhibition was like a maiden speech, showcasing her unique style to the world.

adjective describing something that is pleasant to hear, like music or a voice

• The soprano singer had a melodious voice that captivated the entire audience.
• I love listening to melodious music while relaxing at home.
• That new song has a super melodious beat that gets stuck in your head.
• The melodious sound of the wind chimes brought a sense of peace to the garden.

noun a word or phrase referring to a person, place, thing, quality, etc.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

• During the meeting, she made a brief mention of the upcoming project.
• I forgot to mention that the party is at my place tomorrow.
• Did you hear about that new movie? It's worth a mention.
• His name is never mentioned in our household anymore.

verb to quote incorrectly or inaccurately

• The journalist misquoted the CEO in the article, causing confusion among readers.
• I think the newspaper misquoted you in that interview.
• Don't worry, the tabloids always misquote celebrities to create drama.
• His actions misquoted his true intentions, leading to misunderstandings.

adverb used to introduce a further point or to emphasize or expand on a previous point

• Moreover, the study found that there was a significant correlation between the two variables.
• I heard that Sarah got the promotion. Moreover, she also got a raise!
• I don't want to go to the party. Moreover, it's going to be boring anyway.
• The painting was beautiful, and moreover, it seemed to capture the essence of the artist's emotions.

noun a belief or set of beliefs, especially religious or political ones

• The art of persuasion is a valuable skill in the business world.
• She's really good at persuasion - she can convince anyone to do anything!
• I used my powers of persuasion to get my friends to come to the party.
• His persuasion was like a gentle breeze, slowly swaying her towards his point of view.

noun a raised platform or lectern in a church or chapel from which the preacher delivers a sermon

• The priest delivered his sermon from the pulpit in front of the congregation.
• The pastor stood at the pulpit and spoke to the church members.
• I always feel nervous when I have to get up on the pulpit and give a speech.
• In the world of politics, the candidate used the debate stage as his pulpit to convey his message to the voters.

verb to repeat or say aloud from memory

• During the ceremony, each student had to recite a passage from a famous speech.
• My little sister loves to recite nursery rhymes before bedtime.
• I can totally recite all the lyrics to that song, it's my jam!
• The actor was able to recite his lines flawlessly, as if they were second nature to him.

noun a person who recites or reads aloud in public or for an audience

• The reciter delivered a flawless performance of the epic poem.
• The reciter at the poetry slam was really impressive.
• That reciter totally nailed the rap lyrics on stage.
• As a reciter of ancient tales, she brought history to life through her storytelling.

noun an act of speaking or expressing something verbally

verb to speak or communicate something verbally

• The professor always emphasizes the importance of citing reliable sources, saying it is crucial for academic integrity.
• My mom always says I should eat my vegetables if I want to grow up big and strong.
• I heard Jenny say that she's totally over her ex-boyfriend and ready to move on.
• Actions speak louder than words, so no matter what you say, your behavior will ultimately reveal the truth.

verb to express the thoughts, feelings, or opinions of oneself or others

• The data presented in the report will speak for itself.
• Let the results speak for themselves.
• Dude, let the proof speak for itself.
• Her actions speak for her character.

noun a person who speaks or who is speaking

adjective relating to speaking or giving a speech

• The speaker at the conference delivered an insightful presentation on the latest advancements in technology.
• The speaker at the party was really funny and had everyone laughing.
• The speaker at the concert was lit, he really knew how to hype up the crowd.
• The speaker of the house made a powerful statement that resonated with everyone in the audience.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, such as 'speaking'

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, such as 'of'

• Speaking of upcoming events, have you finalized the agenda for the conference?
• Speaking of movies, have you seen the latest blockbuster yet?
• Speaking of cool gadgets, did you check out that new phone?
• Speaking of reaching new heights, our sales have been soaring this quarter.

noun a conversation or discussion

verb to communicate by speaking

adjective pertaining to or involving talking or conversation

adverb in a manner that involves speaking or communication

• I would like to schedule a time to talk about the upcoming project.
• Let's have a chat about our weekend plans.
• We should catch up and have a little gossip session.
• The colors in this painting seem to talk to each other, creating a harmonious composition.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, in this case, the act of speaking or communicating verbally

• The professor was talking about the importance of research in the field of science.
• We were just talking about our plans for the weekend.
• She's always talking smack about other people behind their backs.
• The painting seems to be talking to me, telling a story of its own.

adjective describing something that is not melodious or pleasant to listen to

• The unmelodious sound of the construction work next door was disrupting the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.
• I can't stand that unmelodious music blaring from your room, can you please turn it down?
• That unmelodious racket is giving me a headache, can we do something about it?
• Her unmelodious laughter echoed through the empty room, a stark reminder of the loneliness she felt inside.

noun a method of examination or instruction in which the student speaks or reads aloud from a text

• The final assessment for the course will include a viva voce examination.
• I have to do a viva voce presentation for my class tomorrow.
• I totally aced that viva voce interview!
• His viva voce performance on stage was like poetry in motion.

adjective characterized by a ready flow of speech; fluent

• The professor was known for being voluble during lectures, often going off on tangents.
• My grandma is so voluble, she never stops talking!
• I can't believe how voluble she is, it's like she has verbal diarrhea.
• Her voluble nature was like a river that never ceased flowing.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

• The empty podium stood as a stark reminder of the candidate's absence at the debate.
• Why is there an empty podium on stage? Did someone forget to show up?
• Yo, check out that empty podium - looks like someone bailed on their speech.
• The empty podium symbolized the lack of leadership in the organization.

noun A figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected

adjective Describing a sentence or phrase that ends in an unexpected or humorous way

• The use of paraprosdokian in literature adds a unique twist to the narrative.
• I love how comedians use paraprosdokian to catch the audience off guard with unexpected endings.
• Paraprosdokian is like the ultimate plot twist in a joke.
• Life is full of paraprosdokian moments where things take an unexpected turn.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or a state of being

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

pronoun a word that takes the place of a noun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• In professional settings, it is important to remain composed and style it out when faced with unexpected challenges.
• When you trip in public, just style it out like it was intentional and keep walking.
• If someone insults you, just style it out and act like it doesn't bother you.
• Life may throw obstacles your way, but you have to learn to style it out and keep moving forward.

adjective relating to the art or practice of public speaking

• The oratorical skills of the speaker captivated the audience during the conference.
• His oratorical prowess really impressed everyone at the party.
• The rapper's oratorical flow on stage was fire!
• Her oratorical style was like a symphony, each word a note in a beautiful composition.

noun a person who promotes or sells products or services, especially by public speaking or advertising

• The spruiker outside the store was promoting the latest products to passersby.
• I always see that spruiker trying to get people to come into the store.
• That spruiker is really good at getting people's attention.
• The politician was seen as a spruiker for the new policy, constantly advocating for its benefits.

verb to speak to or write to someone; to deal with a problem or difficult situation

adjective referring to the act of speaking to or writing to someone

• The company is currently addressing the issue of workplace diversity through targeted training programs.
• We need to start addressing the mess in the garage before it gets out of hand.
• I'm tired of addressing his drama, I just want to focus on my own life.
• The author's novel does a great job of addressing the complexities of human emotion.

noun a form of improvisation where a performer delivers a speech or performance without preparation

verb to improvise or deliver a speech or performance without preparation

adjective describing something that is improvised or done without preparation

adverb in an improvised or spontaneous manner

• The actor had to ad-lib a few lines when he forgot his script during the play.
• I had to ad-lib a speech at the last minute because I didn't have time to prepare.
• The comedian was so good at ad-libbing, he had the audience in stitches all night.
• She had to ad-lib her way through the difficult situation, thinking on her feet to come up with a solution.