as in to object
to present an opposing opinion or argument
the concerned parents tried to expostulate with their daughter when she announced her intention to live on her own in New York City
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Recent Examples of expostulate
But her style, it is suggested (for what happened at those audiences was wholly confidential) was never to expostulate – merely to ask a leading question, or to drop a subtle hint.
—
Sarah Gristwood, CNN, 12 Sep. 2022
His humility does not work in his favor when promoting fights, and there is no hype man in Miocic’s corner expostulating his accolades.
—Justin Barrasso, SI.com, 14 Aug. 2019
Sarah Gristwood, CNN, 12 Sep. 2022
His humility does not work in his favor when promoting fights, and there is no hype man in Miocic’s corner expostulating his accolades.
—Justin Barrasso, SI.com, 14 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expostulate
Verb
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Fulton County sought to have the FBI agent who wrote the affidavit testify at Friday’s hearing, but the Justice Department objected and the judge sided with the federal government and quashed the subpoena.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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To review or object to instances where our partners assert a legitimate interest in utilizing your data, please visit our vendors page.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the winter of 2022, crowds around the globe protested after the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, taken into custody by Iran's morality police for how she was dressed.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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People protested the agency’s deployment, and the city’s cultural corridor near Central Avenue saw many businesses close their doors temporarily.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Afterward, a student in the audience complained to his parents that, at the event, the deaths of Palestinian civilians had been characterized as collateral damage—a regrettable but unavoidable consequence of the battle against Hamas.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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The driver and passenger in the BMW complained of pain.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expostulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expostulate. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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