preach

verb

ˈprēch How to pronounce preach (audio)
preached; preaching; preaches
Synonyms of preachnext

intransitive verb

1
: to deliver a sermon
2
: to urge acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action
specifically : to exhort in an officious or tiresome manner

transitive verb

1
: to set forth in a sermon
preach the gospel
2
: to advocate earnestly
preached revolution
3
: to deliver (something, such as a sermon) publicly
4
: to bring, put, or affect by preaching
preached the … church out of debt— Amer. Guide Series: Va.
preachingly
ˈprē-chiŋ-lē How to pronounce preach (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of preach in a Sentence

Have you ever heard that minister preach? The minister preached to the congregation about the need for tolerance. His followers listened to him preach the gospel. The priest preached a regular sermon that Sunday.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That level of competition is why Pitino began preaching extra urgency before the regular-season finale. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2025 In fact, his main allegiance seems to be to his Evangelical megachurch, Eagle Brook, which preaches regressive views and dabbles in highly questionable practices (allegedly). — Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025 Fed chair Jerome Powell gave some measure of assurance about the health of the economy, preaching patience in evaluating the impact of fast-moving trade policies. — Pete Gannon, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025 Many online blamed Bishop, who’d long preached that nearly any malady could be healed naturally, without pharmaceuticals. — David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for preach

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prechen, from Anglo-French precher, from Late Latin praedicare, from Latin, to proclaim, make known, from prae- pre- + dicare to proclaim — more at diction

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preach was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing preach

Rhymes for preach

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Browse Nearby Words

preach
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Cite this Entry

“Preach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preach. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

preach

verb
ˈprēch How to pronounce preach (audio)
1
a
: to deliver a sermon : utter publicly
b
: to set forth in a sermon
preach the gospel
2
: to urge publicly : advocate
preach brotherhood

More from Merriam-Webster on preach

Nglish: Translation of preach for Spanish Speakers

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