articulation

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The way speech sounds are formed and spoken, especially how clearly each word can be understood.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable: her articulation is excellent.

   Patterns

   • clear articulation
   • the articulation of a sound

   The singer's crisp articulation made every lyric easy to follow.

   Speech therapy helped him improve his articulation of the letter r.

   Good articulation matters more than volume when you speak to a large room.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountableformal

   The act of putting an idea or feeling into words in a clear, well-organized way.

   Grammar: Often followed by of: the articulation of a vision.

   Patterns

   • the articulation of something
   • a clear articulation of something

   The report offers a thoughtful articulation of the school's values.

   Her articulation of the problem convinced the whole committee.

   He struggled with the articulation of his doubts.

3. 3nouncountabletechnical

   A joint where two bones or parts connect so that they can move against each other.

   Grammar: Countable in anatomy and engineering: the articulation of the knee.

   Patterns

   • the articulation between something and something
   • an articulation of the jaw

   The articulation between the thigh bone and the pelvis lets us swing our legs.

   Engineers added a flexible articulation to the robot's arm.

   Pain in the articulation of the wrist can follow a fall.

Word forms

Common combinations

clear articulation

Actors train for years to develop clear articulation.

poor articulation

Poor articulation made the announcement hard to understand.

point of articulation

The lips are the point of articulation for the sound b.

manner of articulation

Linguists describe each consonant by its manner of articulation.

articulation of ideas

The essay is praised for its articulation of complex ideas.

Synonyms and how they differ

enunciation

Enunciation focuses on pronouncing words distinctly and does not cover the joint or the expression-of-ideas senses.

diction

Diction covers both word choice and the clarity of delivery, so it is broader than the sound-making sense of articulation.

expression

Expression is a general word for conveying thoughts, while articulation implies putting them into precise words.

joint

Joint is the everyday word for the anatomical sense and is the usual choice outside medicine.

Opposites

Word family

articulate verb

to pronounce clearly or express in words

articulate adjective

able to express ideas clearly and fluently

articulately adverb

in a clear and well-spoken manner

inarticulate adjective

unable to express oneself clearly

articulated adjective

having joints, as in an articulated truck

Commonly confused: articulation or enunciation?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “articulation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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