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

Pastor Turner’s Sunday (October 12) sermon centered on seeing the divine in the most improbable and unlikely relationships—a message that resonated amid the city’s tense atmosphere. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

Brown scrapped his sermon for Sunday morning’s service soon after the explosion. —Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Oct. 2025

The presiding minister elected not to deliver a funeral sermon; dirt was shoveled on top of the mahogany box only three minutes after the service began. —Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025

Adapted from his own novel Cabal, Barker brings so much creativity and personality to this story that could easily have become a more didactic sermon about otherness. —Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 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