Definition of sermonnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sermon With actual recordings of controversial sermons and tons of archival footage, the documentary investigates claims of cult-like control while exploring how Mary’s reality TV stardom complicated an already messy situation. Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 1 Jan. 2026 If there’s something about a place that’s unlike any other restaurant, Simmons welcomes the sermon. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025 Pope Leo condemned the conditions for Palestinians in Gaza in his first Christmas sermon since becoming leader of the Catholic Church. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025 In a Christmas Eve sermon on Wednesday, the pope said refusing to help the poor and strangers was tantamount to rejecting God himself. Reuters, NBC news, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sermon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sermon
Noun
  • Another teaches free guitar lessons to keep kids out of trouble.
    Sharon Chin, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Glenn carried himself with the confidence of someone who had honed his coaching craft through lessons learned playing for Bill Parcells and working under Sean Payton and Dan Campbell.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Don't sweat it — music aficionados can tune in and rock out to all of the stellar performances, speeches, and festivities via livestream this year.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
  • However, Victoria gave Brooklyn a special nod while thanking her children during a speech.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • No lectures, no homilies, no empty words.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Pope Leo also called on Acutis’s legacy in a homily at the Jubilee of Young People this summer.
    Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The shelving unit that contains some of his collection of roughly 20,000 books stretches to the ceiling of the two-story living room; McDaniel would later perch on its narrow catwalk to deliver his lecture.
    Lila Shapiro, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Very few people want to buy a ticket for a lecture on overconsumption, corporate exploitation, and the dumbing down of public discourse.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sermon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sermon. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

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