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 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 What Meyer is really known for is his weekly sermon, delivered with a megaphone, getting the crowd pumped up and closing out with a final score prediction. Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026 Duffman's announcement comes less than two months after the death of another longtime Simpsons regular, First Church Organist Alice Glick, who died during a sermon. Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026 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
  • But as the practice evolved, eager writers like Jefferson and John Adams (but not George Washington or James Madison, for instance), gravitated to a richer, sympathy-bearing idiom, which no doubt bled into intimate speech, now lost.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In 2022, Helmig announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which primarily affected his speech.
    Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
  • The first lecture will be on the musical texture polyphony and its styles through the years.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
  • That June, Juurlink was invited to deliver the keynote lecture at a toxicology conference in Scotland.
    Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sermon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sermon. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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