CEFR C2

sermonizing

verb

Meaning

Deliver a long, tedious, or moralizing speech to someone, often in an unsolicited or condescending manner.

Examples

She tends to sermonize whenever her friends mention their minor mistakes.
The professor started to sermonize about the decline of modern literature instead of answering the student's question.

Synonyms: lecture, preach, moralize, pontificate

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sermonizing (C2)

verb

Pronunciation: ˈsɜːrmənaɪz

Definition

Deliver a long, tedious, or moralizing speech to someone, often in an unsolicited or condescending manner.

Examples

She tends to sermonize whenever her friends mention their minor mistakes.
The professor started to sermonize about the decline of modern literature instead of answering the student's question.
Politicians often sermonize on television about values they fail to uphold in their own lives.

How to Use sermonizing

sermonize about (prepositional phrase): to give a moralizing speech regarding a specific topic — "Please do not sermonize about my lifestyle choices."
sermonize to (prepositional phrase): to direct a tedious speech at a specific audience — "It is rude to sermonize to your guests during dinner."

Synonyms of sermonizing

Words with a similar meaning to sermonizing:

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