sermon

noun

ser·​mon ˈsər-mən 

1

: a religious discourse delivered in public usually by a member of the clergy as a part of a worship service

2

: a speech on conduct or duty

sermonic

ˌsər-ˈmä-nik 

adjective

Synonyms

• lesson
• speech
• homily
• lecture

Examples of sermon in a Sentence

He preached a sermon on the importance of kindness.

Dad gave me a sermon yesterday about doing my homework.

Recent Examples on the Web

On Sunday at the Asbury United Methodist Church, one of D.C.'s predominantly Black congregations, the Rev. Ronald Bell Jr. made Trump's crackdown and the presence of National Guard members on the streets a focus of his sermon. —Brian Mann, NPR, 17 Aug. 2025

There are some sequences here — the concert at the beginning of the film, John Cusack’s explosion of a church sermon — that are as powerful and skilled as anything Lee’s ever done. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025

Even in sermons that didn’t deal with Gaza at all, the heaviness of the moment was salient. —Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025

Hinch went on a longer sermon about sports, loving the challenge in good times and bad, being able to press and perform in the same moment. —Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 26 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French sermun, from Medieval Latin sermon-, sermo, from Latin, speech, conversation, from serere to link together — more at series

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sermon

• birman
• burman
• ermine
• firman
• german
• kirman
• spermine
• termen
• termine
• vermin
• determine
• predetermine

Kids Definition

sermon

noun

ser·​mon ˈsər-mən 

1

: a public speech usually by a priest, minister, or rabbi for the purpose of giving religious instruction

2

: a speech on conduct or duty