1
as in lecturing
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
the eminent professor harangued for three hours on his favorite subject, the clash of East and West
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2
as in speaking
to talk as if giving an important and formal speech
a talk-show guest using the interviewer's questions as an opportunity to harangue on a variety of pet peeves
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Recent Examples of haranguing
That entanglement allowed Biden to traverse the country haranguing business on equity, climate, daycare, union labor, and other whole-of-government crusades—while taunting Republicans who relented for the sake of home-district dollars.
—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Tuesday’s report is likely to be viewed favorably by the president, who has spent the past months haranguing Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Tuesday’s report is likely to be viewed favorably by the president, who has spent the past months haranguing Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haranguing
Verb
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This is the last organization that should be lecturing anyone about respecting the game.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
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Faculty across the state rebuked it as an infringement on academic freedom and warned of a mass chilling effect on free speech and lecturing on divisive topics.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Videos from bystanders appeared to capture on person running across a rooftop of a nearby building on the campus, called the Losee Center, located around 140 yards from the stage were Kirk was speaking from.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Livestream video of the event showed crowds of people running from the university's courtyard where the 31-year-old was speaking when the shooting occurred.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The next battleground is the execution layer, where the question becomes not just who builds the models, but who profits when AI stops talking and starts acting for users.—
Roomy Khan,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Kelly began the livestream upon the news of Kirk's shooting in Utah and learned of his death while talking with Glenn Beck.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An alienated professor takes up weight lifting and ranting in Jordan Castro’s perceptive new novel, Muscle Man.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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Some of these people are ranting and raving, threatening violence against strangers or exhibiting tendencies to hurt themselves, others are quietly living in filth or unclothed or unshod in frigid temperatures.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In an era of doubt, gaslighting, and lies, the choir needs preaching, too.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
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But when a Brazilian pastor is called to counsel a politician, he is immediately labelled ‘corrupt,’ as if Heaven changes its mind depending on the nationality of the person preaching.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Haranguing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haranguing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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