peroration
noun
per·o·ra·tion
ˌper-ə-ˈrā-shən 
also ˌpər-
1
: the concluding part of a discourse and especially an oration
2
: a highly rhetorical speech
Did you know?
As you may have already guessed, "peroration" is a relative of "oration." Both words ultimately derive from the Latin orare, meaning "to speak" or "to plead." The direct ancestor of "peroration" is the Latin verb perorare, meaning "to declaim at length or "to wind up an oration." "Perorare," in turn, comes from the combination of "per-" ("through") and "orare." The English language also has the verb "perorate," which means "to deliver a long or grandiloquent speech" or "to offer a concluding part of a speech."
Examples of peroration in a Sentence
We sat through a lengthy peroration on the evils of the government's policies.
gave an eloquent peroration celebrating the nation's long tradition of religious tolerance and pluralism
Recent Examples on the Web
People stayed on their feet all through Booker’s stirring peroration, the kind that feels more natural on the eve of a big election than during the dead of winter.
—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
18 Mar. 2026
In a climactic peroration, Chaplin finally talks — and talks — in direct address, straight into the camera, delivering an impassioned anti-war, pro-tolerance message.
—
Thomas Doherty,
The Hollywood Reporter,
9 Aug. 2024
And yet virtually nobody credited Putin with savvy for his initial peroration on Russia's ancient history.
—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2024
Reagan said more in his average 35-minute remarks than Bill Clinton ever did in his average 75-minute perorations.
—
Andrew Malcolm,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 Feb. 2018
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
18 Mar. 2026
In a climactic peroration, Chaplin finally talks — and talks — in direct address, straight into the camera, delivering an impassioned anti-war, pro-tolerance message.
—
Thomas Doherty,
The Hollywood Reporter,
9 Aug. 2024
And yet virtually nobody credited Putin with savvy for his initial peroration on Russia's ancient history.
—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2024
Reagan said more in his average 35-minute remarks than Bill Clinton ever did in his average 75-minute perorations.
—
Andrew Malcolm,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 Feb. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Peroration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peroration. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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