as in conversation
talking or a talk between two or more people
Thomas Jefferson is said to have been able to participate in knowledgeable discourse on a breathtaking array of subjects
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to lecture
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
the guest lecturer discoursed at some length on the long-term results of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to speak
to talk as if giving an important and formal speech
grandly discoursed as though he were an expert on every subject
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of discourse
Jackie Calmes, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
Now Jay Leno, who inherited The Tonight Show from Johnny Carson, has a theory about why that’s happened and the current state of chat-show discourse.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2025
The cycle can become so accidentally ubiquitous that the former kids who blissfully existed outside of whatever discourses these trends or bands started in their heyday wonder now, as adults, what was so bad about them in the first place.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for discourse
Noun
Instead too many accept as a given of public discourse that our elections are suspect and an embarrassment to the world.
—Jackie Calmes, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
Now Jay Leno, who inherited The Tonight Show from Johnny Carson, has a theory about why that’s happened and the current state of chat-show discourse.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
Verb
Cage and Hay also gave a recital in conjunction with a lecture by W. F. Way, who discoursed on the need for a yacht harbor in Santa Monica.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2025
The cycle can become so accidentally ubiquitous that the former kids who blissfully existed outside of whatever discourses these trends or bands started in their heyday wonder now, as adults, what was so bad about them in the first place.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for discourse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discourse
Noun
-
One of Wood’s earliest conversations with Reid centered on abandoning the heeled footwear that helped define earlier versions of the character.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
During the conversation, the individuals attempted to distract the woman by putting jewelry on her.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Verb
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All while performatively lecturing and demanding everyone agree with his viewpoints.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
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If and until that day comes, there will be fingerpointing, lecturing and posturing, all of which has flowed freely in the wake of the Sorsby decision.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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False hopes about working in retirement speak to fundamental misunderstandings about retirement and the labor market, experts say.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
At the same time, progressive and labor groups that often find themselves at odds with the Chamber are avoiding jumping to conclusions, saying the move speaks more to the group’s quest for relevance than Becerra’s politics.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Syed Asim Munir have departed Islamabad and are on their way to Switzerland where diplomatic discussions between the US and Iran are unfolding, a statement from the prime minister’s office said Sunday.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
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Swift showed up in a video clip at the end of the show that circled back to earlier discussion about Kelce’s picky eating proclivities.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Robert, talk me through the thinking behind this framing.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
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Seconds later, Hines-Allen decided she was done talking and shoved Bonner.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
Verb
-
Benatia got a three-month suspension for haranguing a fourth official.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
While American pundits wrote haranguing op-eds warning that the breaking of diplomatic precedent would prompt China to escalate war, ordinary people in Taiwan celebrated.—
Michelle Kuo,
The Dial,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The new hire was Mike Brown, a funny, amiable man, who, at least outwardly, looks to have a converse personality to Thibodeau.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
2 June 2026
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Inside this building, generations of artists a century apart converse about similarly distressing and awe-inducing encounters between us and our technological creations.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Woody Harrelson declaims every line, upping the relentless factor of Phil’s mania.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
In the theater, poets declaimed their newest works while musicians competed on the kithara.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discourse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discourse. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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