as in lesson
a public speech usually by a member of the clergy for the purpose of giving moral guidance or uplift
a sermon whose message was that we should love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves
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Recent Examples of sermon
At the end of his sermon, Russell offered an instruction to the worshippers, several of whom were visibly emotional.
—
Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026
Deborah Williams, a member of New Covenant for 49 years, said Sunday’s sermon was timely.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Despite the judiciary appearing to back away from executions, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a hard-line cleric, demanded the execution of protesters in a fiery Friday prayer sermon in Tehran.
—Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s sermon, which was broadcast by Iranian state radio, reportedly sparked chants from those gathered for prayers.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sermon
Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026
Deborah Williams, a member of New Covenant for 49 years, said Sunday’s sermon was timely.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Despite the judiciary appearing to back away from executions, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a hard-line cleric, demanded the execution of protesters in a fiery Friday prayer sermon in Tehran.
—Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s sermon, which was broadcast by Iranian state radio, reportedly sparked chants from those gathered for prayers.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sermon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sermon
Noun
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That there are lessons for all of us in those tears, this journey.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
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The broader lesson is that global convergence is neither automatic nor guaranteed, but instead depends on certain conditions such as undisturbed markets, even as long-term progress has proven more robust than critics often assume.—
Chelsea Follett,
Oc Register,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The speech marked a decisive break from his reformist persona and aligned him publicly with the regime’s violent crackdown on demonstrators.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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But Senate majority leader Bob Duff of Norwalk rejected the Republican contention that the speech was divisive.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In his homily, Leo framed Christmas as a call to recognize human fragility and respond with care rather than indifference, repeatedly returning to the theme of peace as something already present but easily ignored.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Dec. 2025
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This was Pope Leo XIV’s call to action during his homily at Mass in Beirut near the site of the Beirut port explosion.—
Lynn Zovighian,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Use it to summarize lecture notes.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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No one wants a lecture on tannins at a crowded street party.—
Jonathan Kleeman,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sermon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sermon. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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