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 most of her extended conversations on campus were either with the administrator, Val, or with the custodian, a man named Hank who liked to park himself in her office doorway and expostulate about the upcoming hunting season.
—
Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
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
Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expostulate
Verb
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The world’s oldest human rights organization objected to the framing of a briefing ahead of King Charles III’s speech setting out the government’s priorities for the year on Wednesday.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
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Some family members don’t object to snorkeling Some family members of Pearl Harbor survivors said they were not bothered by such official excursions, though some expressed a desire to also be permitted to snorkel at the site.—
Jim Mustian,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Simi Valley lost a home run after Arcadia protested over a lineup error.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
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With data centers the size of dozens of football fields combined sprouting up around the country, residents have protested the construction of AI infrastructure, which McKinsey projected to touch $7 trillion in capital expenditures by 2030.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Cassidy also complained that a new primary system enacted last year confused voters by requiring them to ask for a partisan ballot instead of the all-party primary previously in place.—
Thomas Beaumont,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
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So, what Rodriguez and Cohen Higgins are complaining about is what happens four and five years or even ten years down the line.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expostulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expostulate. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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