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
-
This cross-partisan skit is refreshing and the only people who might hate it are Cuomo supporters and maybe some woke scolds.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
On our hike, Jessie Krebs scolds her boots for sliding on a slick, house-size boulder.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And they’re trained from birth to believe that the prophet speaks directly with God and to obey whatever the prophet tells them to do.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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Mulhouse Public Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz speaks to the press after a boy was discovered naked and malnourished on a pile of rubbish in a van where he had been kept locked up, in Hagenbach, eastern France, on April 10, 2026.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kish won’t use magic during sermons.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
This was evident in the themes of his sermons.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Here, Levy talks the making of Moira and Linda.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Saffrine Duggan, the wife of Daniel Duggan, talks to the media outside the Federal Court of Australia in Canberra on April 16, 2026.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Panelists will share specific examples from their work on Amazon MGM Studios Originals, discussing triumphs, lessons learned, and what’s to come for Prime Video customers.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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The schools will also have a longer school year that stretches further into the summer, student-teachers training to become full-time educators, support staff for teachers during lessons and group instruction, and higher pay for teachers.—
Samuel O’Neal
April 16,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Schiavo raised a similar concern, noting that the National Transportation Safety Board regularly criticizes the Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators for not implementing obvious solutions, even after accidents occur.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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Gigerenzer criticizes them as ethically problematic and argues that public policy should emphasize education over subtle choice manipulation.—
Alejandro Hortal-Sánchez,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At the center, there is Springsteen, with a world-weariness in his speeches that is in no way mirrored in his performance level, which would feel spirited and energized for a man of half his 76 years.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
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Alito’s more recent willingness to telegraph his preferences has coincided with more gruffness and edgier assertions in his interviews and speeches.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lectures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lectures. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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