1
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
the frustrated manager lectured the waitstaff about its poor level of service
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spoke
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
a physician who has lectured before countless audiences on the importance of diet and exercise in avoiding heart disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of lectured
My alter ago has lectured, pleaded and begged my readers to run for their lives from Doritos, Ding Dongs and Sprite.
—
Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Michael Woroniecki lectured about Satan being a very powerful force.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
If someone senses they’re being lectured or criticized, their walls will go up, and the conversation will stall.
—Devon Kuntzman, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
But this season’s 49ers team was lectured from the start to back off on the Super Bowl talk after last year’s 6-11 debacle and instead work on simply becoming a good team that gets better every week.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Cheen also lectured on the music industry across Asia and Australia.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 21 Oct. 2025
Clarke and his business partner sold photographs and films, wrote and lectured about their adventures, and began treasure hunting.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Vance lectured Zelenskyy and argued the wartime leader hadn’t shown proper gratitude for the billions of dollars in military assistance the United States has given to his country.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
We weren’t being lectured to anymore.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 19 Aug. 2025
Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Michael Woroniecki lectured about Satan being a very powerful force.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
If someone senses they’re being lectured or criticized, their walls will go up, and the conversation will stall.
—Devon Kuntzman, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
But this season’s 49ers team was lectured from the start to back off on the Super Bowl talk after last year’s 6-11 debacle and instead work on simply becoming a good team that gets better every week.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Cheen also lectured on the music industry across Asia and Australia.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 21 Oct. 2025
Clarke and his business partner sold photographs and films, wrote and lectured about their adventures, and began treasure hunting.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Vance lectured Zelenskyy and argued the wartime leader hadn’t shown proper gratitude for the billions of dollars in military assistance the United States has given to his country.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
We weren’t being lectured to anymore.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lectured
Verb
-
As the Sentinel’s Cristobal Reyes has reported, federal judges based in Orlando have scolded prosecutors multiple times in recent weeks for detaining people who should have been set free, with one judge memorably comparing the current actions of ICE to those of a third-world country.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
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No fan should be told how to follow their team, nor be scolded for feeling conflicted, especially as Spurs supporters have been put in this unenviable bind by the failings of their club — rather than the other way around.—
Dan Kilpatrick,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Several told the Herald they were reprimanded for speaking to the media to promote the cultural events being hosted by the center.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Following the meeting, Green was reprimanded by a captain for failing to review the video with the officers.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Skip the flowers The CFP talked a big game about updating the methodology used to select the 12 participants in the 2025 field.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The new manager and the pitcher had lunch and talked baseball.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Red McCombs, one of the most prodigious benefactors in UT history who gave more than $100 million to the school’s athletic programs before his death in 2023, famously criticized the hiring of former head football coach Charlie Strong in 2014.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
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Massie criticized Bondi's combative testimony before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lectured.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lectured. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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