preach

verb

ˈprēch 

preached; preaching; preaches

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

My mother always preached the value/virtue of a good education.

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 

adverb

Phrases

preach to the choir

: to speak for or against something to people who share the same opinion

Synonyms of preach

• evangelize
• sermonize

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.

Their mother has always preached the value of a good education.

Practice what you preach—don't smoke if you tell your children not to smoke.

The mayor continues to preach about the need for patience.

I don't like being preached at about how I should live my life.

Recent Examples on the Web

In other words, as the Chiefs preach no margin for error, well, there literally almost always is still some margin for error. —Sam McDowell 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025

For years, food magazines have preached the many wonders of Yukon Gold potatoes. —Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Nov. 2025

Since last year, the Pistons have preached patience and development. —Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025

This turns topics that could leave students feeling marginalized, silenced or preached to into opportunities for meaningful connection. —Matthew J. Mayhew, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing preach

• preach to the converted

Rhymes for preach

• beach
• beech
• bleach
• breach
• breech
• each
• keech
• leach
• leech
• meech
• peach
• reach

Kids Definition

preach

verb

ˈprēch 

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