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
After haranguing the receptionist, he was eventually granted a 15-minute audience with Fujita, who advised his teenage devotee to focus on future technologies like computers.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
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
Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haranguing
Verb
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Should the guy who spends his spare time dodging bullets really be lecturing him on death wishes?—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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The irony here is that after spending decades lecturing China about the merits of free trade, the US is taking a page out of Beijing’s own state capitalist playbook.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Broadly speaking, the panel was addressed to the arts, not only the visual arts but also all forms of writing, including journalism.—
John McPhee,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The hosts are frequently seen with little makeup and shiny faces, speaking to each other from home offices or bare-bones studios.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Is there an art to talking to famous people who are famously stoic about their personal life and famously put up boundaries everywhere?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
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There’s Larry Gagosian talking with Richard Serra with Tony Shafrazi in front of them.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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From the whitewashing controversy to the toxic love to the daring costumes, the discourse is going to be discoursing.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More often, though, Tallent demonstrates his characters’ precarity rather than declaiming about it.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Those are just a few of the questions that audience members are ranting and raving their way through while exiting the Hayes Theater.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Harbaugh is preaching the need for his players to be accountable, to love and prioritize football and to practice harder.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Raphael’s great image of Paul preaching in Athens, arms outstretched, crowd rapt, could be the Chairman on tour in Greece.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Haranguing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haranguing. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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