1
as in scolds
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 speaks
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lectures
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
With me, my wife lectures me more than my children.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
The van’s speakers played a high-volume mashup of construction sounds, Jordan Peterson lectures, Marine Corps drills, and mumbling voices.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Assistive listening studies report that bypassing room acoustics and delivering audio directly can improve signal‑to‑noise ratios by 15–20 dB, making announcements comprehensible and lectures clearer [8].
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
Simon Maghakyan lectures on the 20th anniversary of the destruction of Djulfa in December 2025.
—Simon Maghakyan, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
Hands-on activities ground new knowledge in ways that lectures and reading often cannot.
—Emma Marcucci, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2026
The same government that lectures Beijing about state capitalism and nonmarket behaviors now practices it at home.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
When not writing, May frequently lectures on the politics and policies of mass incarceration for university classes, academic conferences, and online events.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
With me, my wife lectures me more than my children.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
The van’s speakers played a high-volume mashup of construction sounds, Jordan Peterson lectures, Marine Corps drills, and mumbling voices.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Assistive listening studies report that bypassing room acoustics and delivering audio directly can improve signal‑to‑noise ratios by 15–20 dB, making announcements comprehensible and lectures clearer [8].
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
Simon Maghakyan lectures on the 20th anniversary of the destruction of Djulfa in December 2025.
—Simon Maghakyan, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
Hands-on activities ground new knowledge in ways that lectures and reading often cannot.
—Emma Marcucci, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2026
The same government that lectures Beijing about state capitalism and nonmarket behaviors now practices it at home.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lectures
Verb
-
Stumbling on to this ruse, Antoine’s friend and manager Armand (Gilles Lellouche) immediately can tell Suzanne is a fake and scolds her for exploiting his friend’s grief.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
-
Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Unlike many diplomats and aid officials, Zeid speaks with unusual candor.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
-
In his first interview out of Cannes through a Russian-language interpreter, Zvyagintsev speaks about his unlikely return.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The show, which featured sermons and interviews, expanded her reach beyond her congregation and contributed to her emergence as a televangelist.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
-
Even when the Lord’s name was left out, Stanley speeches sounded like sermons.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Klaus talks to his sister in California on an elegant brass and Bakelite 1940s telephone (the props are divine throughout), complete with operator interruptions.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
-
Our correspondent talks to him.—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Noun
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How many hotels make free lessons in language, hula, lei making, and ukulele a round-the-clock endeavor?—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
-
Fifty-one years later, Three Days of the Condor offers business leaders lessons in individual resilience, creative problem solving in chaos and the value of transparency under pressure.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The audit also criticizes the city for not trying to boost compliance by issuing fines.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
OpenAI memo criticizes Anthropic watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In response to complaints last year about a student speaker who criticized Israel, the university required that some student graduation speeches be recorded ahead of time, a requirement that didn’t apply to speakers like Haidt.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
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But perhaps Powell will be best remembered as a target – of angry tweets, speeches, and ultimately a criminal investigation, by the very president who nominated him in the first place.—
Kenny Malone,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lectures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lectures. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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