Synonyms of exhort

exhort

verb

ig-ˈzȯrt 

as in to urge

to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action

the speaker exhorted the graduating students to go forth and try to make a difference in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

• urge
• encourage
• nudge
• prompt
• goad
• egg (on)
• spur
• push
• prod
• coax
• beseech
• propel
• implore
• stimulate
• press
• provoke
• importune
• cajole
• hurry
• adjure
• drive
• rush
• incite
• wheedle
• hustle
• pressure
• foment
• instigate
• stir (up)
• nag
• needle
• high-pressure
• blandish
• soft-soap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discourage
• deter
• check
• restrain
• dissuade
• brake
• inhibit
• curb
• constrain
• hold back

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of exhort

Teddy Roosevelt exhorted a nation of effeminate, civilized men to sally forth into the wild and reclaim their natural vitality. — Elizabeth Dray, STAT, 21 July 2026

In Paris, signage exhorts Métro riders to hydrate regularly, stay attentive to those who are most vulnerable, et cetera. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

Even so, Bozzo exhorted the community to continue relying on the city and gathering in spaces that felt safer, like churches or city-run events. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 28 May 2026

In the press box at halftime, Congolese journos exhort the team in French and Lingala, a Bantu language native to their homeland. — Franklin Leonard, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026

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