as in urging
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
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Recent Examples of exhorting
Trump has spent years dehumanizing immigrants, exhorting law enforcement to treat suspects more roughly, and attacking the rule of law.
—
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Sergey Brin, Google’s billionaire cofounder who stepped back from day-to-day involvement in 2019, is back full-time, pitching in on some of the technical work and exhorting staffers to push themselves harder and to work longer hours, according to media reports.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
In its opening scene, from George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, Preston starts singing the warmly exhorting gospel song that gives the film its name.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
San Diego Clippers coach Paul Hewitt sometimes resembles a third-base coach, waving his arms forward rapidly, exhorting his players to race the ball up the floor after a rebound or forced turnover.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Nov. 2024
On an August day in 2011, a man stood outside City Hall in Newark, New Jersey, exhorting a crowd through a wireless microphone.
—Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Sergey Brin, Google’s billionaire cofounder who stepped back from day-to-day involvement in 2019, is back full-time, pitching in on some of the technical work and exhorting staffers to push themselves harder and to work longer hours, according to media reports.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
In its opening scene, from George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, Preston starts singing the warmly exhorting gospel song that gives the film its name.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
San Diego Clippers coach Paul Hewitt sometimes resembles a third-base coach, waving his arms forward rapidly, exhorting his players to race the ball up the floor after a rebound or forced turnover.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Nov. 2024
On an August day in 2011, a man stood outside City Hall in Newark, New Jersey, exhorting a crowd through a wireless microphone.
—Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhorting
Verb
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The United States declared Afghanistan a state sponsor of wrongful detention earlier in March, urging the Taliban to release Coyle and other hostages.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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The tension escalated when Carolyn received a frantic call from her sister, Lauren Bessette (Sydney Lemmon), urging her to turn on the TV.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Let soak, encouraging sand and soil to sink, before removing.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Cubs are encouraging Taillon to really push his intensity level on his bullpen days but then hardly throw the following day, instead focusing on just moving around and being athletic.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exhorting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhorting. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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