as in sermonic
marked by or given to preaching moral values
I found the novel's moralizing tone a bit much for beach reading
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as in preaching
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of moralizing
Chris Klimek, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Justin Worland, Time, 22 May 2026
Her moralizing of Vernice’s character, which doesn’t happen in reverse, was fascinating to me.
—Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2026
This is where the sanctimony and the moralizing comes in.
—Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
But the framing of the piece skews moralizing and voyeuristic.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The host, Shaina Shealy, tells a complex, sometimes raw story, resisting easy moralizing about the lives of her subjects.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the bulk of the requisite moralizing falls mainly to Palmer’s socially conscious Elena, saddled with one too many speeches about making a difference, which puts a damper on the actress’ customary energetic spark.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Set in London in 1749, the story discourages easy moralizing about guilt and justice.
—Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Most of the roughly 200 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger have the moralizing flavor of after-school specials, albeit weirdly violent ones.
—Chris Klimek, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
Critically, the moralizing over climate change is gone.
—Justin Worland, Time, 22 May 2026
Her moralizing of Vernice’s character, which doesn’t happen in reverse, was fascinating to me.
—Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2026
This is where the sanctimony and the moralizing comes in.
—Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
But the framing of the piece skews moralizing and voyeuristic.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The host, Shaina Shealy, tells a complex, sometimes raw story, resisting easy moralizing about the lives of her subjects.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the bulk of the requisite moralizing falls mainly to Palmer’s socially conscious Elena, saddled with one too many speeches about making a difference, which puts a damper on the actress’ customary energetic spark.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Set in London in 1749, the story discourages easy moralizing about guilt and justice.
—Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moralizing
Adjective
-
Navy excels at untangling human emotions and picking through them without being didactic or moralistic.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
-
Last year, a YouTube channel called Akhbar Enfejari (Explosive News) began posting a variety of digital content with a political and moralistic bent.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Indeed, this period marked the beginning of Copeland’s lifelong emphasis on prosperity theology, which would become central to his preaching and ministry.—
Rachel Cole,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 May 2026
-
Watch for intense preaching or over-defending beliefs.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One can scarcely imagine Davis agreeing to a management interview with Forbes or lecturing executives about organizational leadership.—
Bill Fischer,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
The cruel cartoon of a constantly shrewish, venal, and disloyal Mary began cementing itself in the public mind when William Herndon, Lincoln’s Springfield law partner, started lecturing about his reminiscences within months of the President’s murder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
Navy excels at untangling human emotions and picking through them without being didactic or moralistic.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
-
Yet Dupieux doesn’t stage any of this in a didactic or judgmental way.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
If all that is a little too cerebral, viewers can wait out the pontificating until the next performance comes along.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Thompson mentions that cartoons from this era often leaned on straightforward ideas about decency, and Doug fit that mold without being preachy about it.—
Alex Shoemaker,
Parents,
6 June 2026
-
Dennis’s new poems are still conversational, philosophical, sometimes preachy, and cranky, and there is a fresh kind of transcendence here, one that has almost forgotten about disappointment.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Lundberg writes that the poem is both an explication of the promise of America and an exhortation to persevere on behalf of the country.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
-
Advertisement While Pulisic is no recluse—he’ll go to an occasional nice dinner with friends—exhortations to step out more go mostly unheeded.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The last 10 quarterbacks elected to the Hall of Fame as modern-era candidates could be instructive for Wilson.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
India’s version of strategic autonomy is, perhaps, the most developed and instructive.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moralizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moralizing. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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