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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Christian author Philip Yancey is retiring from writing and lecturing after admitting to a long-running affair with a married woman.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
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After teaching at Sacramento City College and lecturing at UC Davis, Fisher moved into public history, working with the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Architectural History Department at Caltrans.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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While speaking with officer Marvin Kirk Brown, who issued the warrant, the victims' parents said the minors were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield served as a director, according to the arrest warrant.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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These culturally sensitive classes are led by experienced Vietnamese educators and are tailored to the needs of Vietnamese-speaking families.—
MemorialCare Medical Group,
Oc Register,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Frankly, talking cost per use, the nail care hack pays for itself.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
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Seconds before the shooting, Good and her wife are seen talking to Ross.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In two minutes of ranting and raving about his degenerate son’s twenty-six-thousand-dollar dinner bill, Reiner gave an indelible comedic performance destined to be quoted for years to come.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
17 Dec. 2025
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At another time, a perpetually anxious comedian who can’t keep from ranting about his paranoid worries about the end of the world probably would not feel like such a helpful guide to life.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Throughout Arizona’s tailspin, Gannon stuck to the blueprint, preaching process and patience during moments that publicly demanded more.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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Midway through William Greaves’s documentary Nationtime, which follows the 1972 National Black Political Convention, a woman named Audley Moore stands in a busy hallway preaching to people’s backs.—
Dara T. Mathis,
The Atlantic,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Haranguing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haranguing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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