as in moralizing
marked by or given to preaching moral values
the poet's works became increasingly didactic after his religious conversion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 didactic
Early critics have called it ‘compassionate,’ which might sound like a euphemism for treacly or didactic.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Berlinale competitor Dust unfolds a didactic parable, written by Angelo Tijssens (Close), that revolves around two outwardly respectable but privately panicking Flemish business partners, Geert (Arieh Worthalter) and Luc (Jan Hammenecker).
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
The film, without proving didactic, untangles the complications of finding appropriate care for someone with her cognitive disabilities, as Emily and Bob struggle with a healthcare system that isn’t set up to support people like her.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Political without being didactic, the film taps into contemporary anxieties around immigration, power and resistance, delivering tension, spectacle and emotional weight in equal measure.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for didactic
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Berlinale competitor Dust unfolds a didactic parable, written by Angelo Tijssens (Close), that revolves around two outwardly respectable but privately panicking Flemish business partners, Geert (Arieh Worthalter) and Luc (Jan Hammenecker).
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
The film, without proving didactic, untangles the complications of finding appropriate care for someone with her cognitive disabilities, as Emily and Bob struggle with a healthcare system that isn’t set up to support people like her.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Political without being didactic, the film taps into contemporary anxieties around immigration, power and resistance, delivering tension, spectacle and emotional weight in equal measure.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for didactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for didactic
Adjective
-
Good intentions — and handsome animation — aside, Forevergreen is ultimately too maudlin and moralistic to rank it much higher than this.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The script, penned by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, becomes bizarrely moralistic by the end, insinuating that the debased and debauched might perhaps see their problems solved by becoming domesticated.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Japan’s experience in the two oil crises was very different than that in the United States – and highly instructive.—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
But Friedrich’s concluding statement about nostalgia is as instructive as Selznick’s dire quote.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In calmer times, a leader expounding from such heights risks sounding preachy and self-righteous.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And the story is sweet as well, with a pro-environment message that isn’t too preachy.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The preacher’s experience, insights and emotions all come into play when composing the homiletic text.—
Joanne M. Pierce,
The Conversation,
6 July 2023
-
There’s a word for this style of narrative preaching—homiletic.—
Jo Livingstone,
The New Republic,
6 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Didactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/didactic. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
