preach
verb
\ ˈprēch
\
\
preached;
preaching;
preaches
Definition of preach
1
: to deliver a sermon
2
: to urge acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action
specifically
: to exhort in an officious or tiresome manner
1
: to set forth in a sermon
preach the gospel
2
: to advocate earnestly
preached revolution
3
: to deliver (something, such as a sermon) publicly
4
: to bring, put, or affect by preaching
preached the … church out of debt — Amer. Guide Series: Va.
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Other Words from preach
preachingly
\ ˈprē-chiŋ-lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
Examples of preach in a Sentence
Have you ever heard that minister preach?
The minister preached to the congregation about the need for tolerance.
His followers listened to him preach the gospel.
The priest preached a regular sermon that Sunday.
Their mother has always preached the value of a good education.
Practice what you preach—don't smoke if you tell your children not to smoke.
The mayor continues to preach about the need for patience.
I don't like being preached at about how I should live my life.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Francis, the first pope from the global south, has long preached about the dignity of work, and the need for all able-bodied adults to be able to earn enough to provide for their families. — Nicole Winfield And Trisha Thomas, USA TODAY, "Pope Francis: 'Poverty is not inevitable'," 8 Sep. 2019 So, while there are plenty of reasons for individuals to be sentimental or on edge, Fickell has preached about what Saturday's outcome will likely represent for the UC program. — Fletcher Page, Cincinnati.com, "Trip to Ohio State could be UC football's last shot at in-state supremacy for a long time," 7 Sep. 2019 Prince Harry preaching about the environment again. — Martha Ross, The Mercury News, "Meghan Markle hires Harvey Weinstein’s crisis P.R. firm as Prince Harry defends private plane travel ‘to keep my family safe’," 3 Sep. 2019 Despite the confidence, Clark preaches not to underestimate opponents and has been proven right more than once. — Evan Dudley, al, "UAB readies for season opener against Alabama State," 26 Aug. 2019 It’s always next man up, that’s what coach (Mario) Cristobal preaches. — oregonlive.com, "Who replaces Brenden Schooler as Oregon’s starting flanker? Ducks have at least 3-way battle," 7 Aug. 2019 Healing preaches that Americans move past the dark history of our country and try to treat others with compassion. — Caroline Tew, EW.com, "A guide to presidential candidate Marianne Williamson's books, from mild to wild," 1 Aug. 2019 The need for such preventive work — and building with fire-resistant materials — has long been preached to those who live in the arid expanses of Washington and elsewhere in the West, where wildfires year after year claim homes and lives. — Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times, "As wildfire risk grows west of Cascades, homeowners urged to better protect their homes," 30 July 2019 Graham preached to millions and was pastor to presidents. — Suhauna Hussain, latimes.com, "A Mississippi politician denied access to a female reporter. What is the ‘Billy Graham rule’ he cited?," 15 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for preach
preach
verb
English Language Learners Definition of preach
: to make a speech about religion in a church or other public place : to deliver a sermon
: to write or speak about (something) in an approving way : to say that (something) is good or necessary
: to write or speak in an annoying way about the right way to behave
See the full definition for preach in the English Language Learners Dictionary
preach
verb
\ ˈprēch
\
\
preached;
preaching
Kids Definition of preach
1
: to give a sermon
2
: to urge publicly
preach patience
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