articulate

Formsarticulates, articulating, articulated

Pluralarticulates

1. 1
   adjective

   Able to speak clearly and put ideas into good words.

   Like someone who always finds just the right words to say.

   She is a very articulate speaker who explains hard ideas simply.

   The articulate teenager answered every question with ease.

   Similareloquent, well-spoken

   Oppositeinarticulate, incoherent, tongue-tied

2. 2
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To say words clearly so other people can understand you.

   Like speaking slowly and clearly so no word gets lost.

   Try to articulate each word so the audience can follow you.

   He articulates every syllable when he reads aloud.

   Similarenunciate, pronounce

   Oppositemumble, slur, mutter

   Note
3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To put an idea or feeling into clear words.

   Like turning a messy thought into clear, ordered sentences.

   She finally managed to articulate her fears about the move.

   He articulated his plan in just a few sentences.

   Similarexpress, voice, state, formulate, explain

4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To make something clear or easy to understand.

   Good lighting can articulate the shapes in a painting.

   The layout articulates each section of the building clearly.

   Similardefine, clarify, accentuate, delineate

   Oppositeobscure, blur

   Note
5. 5
   adjective

   Clear and easy to understand.

   Her articulate argument convinced the whole room.

   The essay was clear and articulate from start to finish.

   Similarclear, coherent, lucid, eloquent, cogent

   Oppositeincoherent, inarticulate, unclear, muddled

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To build something with parts that can bend or fold at set points.

   Like a bendy straw that folds where the rings are.

   Engineers articulate the robot arm so it can bend at several points.

   The designers articulated the bus to let it turn tight corners.

   Similarhinge, joint

   Note
7. 7
   verbintransitive

   To meet and connect at a joint, the way bones do.

   Like the way your finger bends where two bones meet.

   The lower jaw articulates with the skull near the ear.

   Two small bones articulate to allow smooth movement.

   Similarconnect, join

   Note
8. 8
   adjective

   Made of separate parts joined together so they can bend.

   An insect has an articulate body with many jointed parts.

   The toy snake is articulate, bending at each connected section.

   Similarjointed, segmented

9. 9
   adjective

   Clearly separated or marked off into parts.

   The garden was divided into articulate beds, each one distinct.

   Her talk had articulate pauses between every point.

   Similardistinct, discrete, separate, defined, clear

   Oppositeindistinct, blurred, vague

10. 10
    verbtransitive

    To play a musical note in a clear, controlled way.

    Like saying each word clearly instead of running them together.

    Trumpet players articulate each note with a quick tongue movement.

    She articulated the fast passage cleanly on her violin.

    Note
11. 11
    nouncountable

    An animal whose body is made of joined segments.

    Like a string of beads, with the body made of many joined parts.

    A worm is one kind of articulate, with its body in many rings.

    The museum case held an articulate from an ancient sea.

    Note

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