Meaning & use
declamation
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountableformal
A speech or recitation delivered loudly and with great feeling, often to impress an audience.
Grammar: Countable for a speech: a declamation; uncountable for the style: skilled declamation.
Patterns
- a declamation against something
- a declamation on something
The mayor launched into a long declamation against the new tax.
Students once practiced declamation by reciting famous speeches before the class.
His declamation filled the hall, but few listeners were convinced.
nouncountabledisapproving
A forceful public attack in words, often more showy than reasoned.
Grammar: Countable and often disapproving: a bitter declamation.
Patterns
- a declamation against someone
The columnist's weekly declamation against modern manners amused some and annoyed others.
He answered every question with a declamation instead of an argument.
Her declamation about the town council drew applause but changed no votes.
noununcountablemusictechnical
In music, the way words are set to notes so that natural speech rhythm and stress are respected.
Grammar: Uncountable and technical: the opera's declamation is crisp.
Patterns
- the declamation of something
The composer admired the clear declamation of the English text.
The singer's declamation made every word understood.
Critics praised the natural declamation in the new opera.
Word forms
| plural | declamations |
|---|
Common combinations
- passionate declamation
- His passionate declamation silenced the room.
- public declamation
- The statue was the subject of public declamation.
- a declamation against
- She delivered a declamation against the proposed road.
- art of declamation
- The school taught the art of declamation.
- theatrical declamation
- The actor's theatrical declamation made some viewers wince.
Synonyms and how they differ
- oration
- Oration is a formal, dignified speech, while declamation can suggest more drama or show.
- tirade
- Tirade is an angry, long outburst, while declamation may be calm but loud and rhetorical.
- harangue
- Harangue is a forceful lecture aimed at an audience, usually critical, while declamation need not be hostile.
- recitation
- Recitation is repeating memorized words, while declamation stresses delivering them with force and feeling.
Opposites
Word family
- declaim verb
- to speak in a loud, dramatic way
- declamatory adjective
- in a forceful, theatrical style of speaking
- declaimer noun
- a person who declaims
Commonly confused: declamation or declaration?
declamation vs declaration
A declaration is a formal statement or announcement, while a declamation is a forceful, dramatic speech. They look similar but differ in meaning.
Practice
A teacher says a student's speech 'lacked reason and relied on declamation'. What does she mean?
Choose one answer.
Declamation here means forceful, theatrical delivery used in place of solid argument. Too many facts would be the opposite of lacking reason.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “declamation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.