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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Recent Examples of moralizing
Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moralizing
Noun
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According to a release, at the center of the memorial is a slightly larger than life size bronze of King preaching, in a welcoming gesture.—
Hailey Roden,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
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Boys Go to Jupiter captures an adolescent malaise without talking down to its teens — there is no preaching about real jobs, responsibilities, or five-year plans.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This is the last organization that should be lecturing anyone about respecting the game.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
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Faculty across the state rebuked it as an infringement on academic freedom and warned of a mass chilling effect on free speech and lecturing on divisive topics.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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His disdain for the brothers’ moralistic literary choices was clear.—
Time,
Time,
23 July 2025
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Intervention by authorities has Indian moviegoers fuming, who accuse the censors of making moralistic changes while adopting a double standard for Bollywood films, which are often laced with innuendos, misogyny and sensual scenes.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
16 July 2025
Noun
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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
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Such subtlety may not necessarily be what readers—perhaps American readers, in particular—expect from political fiction, which can have a reputation for being didactic and heavy-handed, designed to beat readers over the head, as if anything political were made in the mode of Soviet realism.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Curiosity is almost a like a science, didactic and patient.—
Alexandra Bregman,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Her voice was loud and hoarse, calling out comments or exhortations concerning the game.—
Rachel Cusk,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
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But local leaders had no doubt about the perpetrators, even though the state’s campaign had previously been carried out through public exhortations and directives, not clandestine repaintings.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In addition, there is proven evidence of interference by the Israeli government during the most recent edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, in which the event was used as a political instrument.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
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Later in the game, he got beat on a big play by Packers wide receiver Malik Heath that Lattimore thought should have been an offensive pass interference.—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And then when a script like that is also about something without being too preachy, right?—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Lawrence isn't preachy in his attempt to make this film an emotional gut-punch.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moralizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moralizing. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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