as in sermonic
marked by or given to preaching moral values
I found the novel's moralizing tone a bit much for beach reading
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in preaching
Related Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of moralizing
Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Unfortunately, the bulk of the requisite moralizing falls mainly to Palmer’s socially conscious Elena, saddled with one too many speeches about making a difference, which puts a damper on the actress’ customary energetic spark.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moralizing
Noun
-
Jim Bakker typically handled the preaching on the show while his wife did the singing.—
Adam Bell,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Jud sees faith as redemptive, having turned to it after causing the death of a fellow boxer in his youth, while Wicks uses shame in his preaching.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The same woman Don had been lecturing about beer.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The following photos feature him reading on a train, posing with students, standing next to a sculpture and lecturing in front of the class.—
Ilana Kaplan,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The heroine of Mansfield Park, Fanny Price, is the most moralistic young person in her household (and the most ignored).—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025
-
What matters is a heavy focus on aesthetic and moralistic perfection.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
If all that is a little too cerebral, viewers can wait out the pontificating until the next performance comes along.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Such subtlety may not necessarily be what readers—perhaps American readers, in particular—expect from political fiction, which can have a reputation for being didactic and heavy-handed, designed to beat readers over the head, as if anything political were made in the mode of Soviet realism.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Curiosity is almost a like a science, didactic and patient.—
Alexandra Bregman,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Her voice was loud and hoarse, calling out comments or exhortations concerning the game.—
Rachel Cusk,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
-
But local leaders had no doubt about the perpetrators, even though the state’s campaign had previously been carried out through public exhortations and directives, not clandestine repaintings.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The firing triggered the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller and a wider Justice Department investigation into the Republican's campaign contacts with Russia and Moscow's interference in the election.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Moss and Hufanga both got called for pass interference.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This overtly political, preachy and unfunny?—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Lawrence isn't preachy in his attempt to make this film an emotional gut-punch.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moralizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moralizing. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share