harangue

1 of 2

noun

ha·​rangue hə-ˈraŋ 

1

: a speech addressed to a public assembly

listening to his capacious harangue and its immaculate delivery

—Sir Winston Churchill

2

: a ranting speech or writing

emotional and frequently violent harangues

—K. E. Read

the long, tiresome harangue so characteristic of … books on the subject

—J. H. Donnelly

3

: lecture

gave me a harangue on the subject of my poor grades

harangue

2 of 2

verb

harangued; haranguing

intransitive verb

: to make a harangue (see harangue entry 1) : declaim

poets … and philosophers recited their works, and harangued for diversion

—Tobias Smollett

transitive verb

: to address in a harangue

haranguing me … on the folly of my ways

—Jay Jacobs

haranguer noun

Did you know?

In Old Italian, the verb aringare meant "to speak in public," the noun aringo referred to a public assembly, and the noun aringa referred to a public speech. Aringa was borrowed into Middle French as arenge, and it is from this form that we get our noun harangue, which made its first appearance in English in the 16th century with that same "public speech" meaning. Perhaps due to the bombastic or exasperated nature of some public speeches, the term quickly developed an added sense referring to a forceful or angry speech or piece of writing, making it a synonym of rant. By the mid-17th century, the verb harangue made it possible to harangue others with such speech or writing.

Synonyms

Noun

• diatribe
• jeremiad
• philippic
• rant
• tirade

Verb

• declaim
• descant
• discourse
• expatiate
• lecture
• orate
• speak
• talk

Examples of harangue in a Sentence

Noun

He delivered a long harangue about the evils of popular culture.

launched into a long harangue about poor customer service without realizing that I wasn't even an employee!

Verb

He harangued us for hours about the evils of popular culture.

the eminent professor harangued for three hours on his favorite subject, the clash of East and West

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

People with competing views talk past one another or, worse, as has been happening on campuses, especially since last October, harangue, harass, and silence each other. —Lincoln Caplan, The New Yorker, 4 July 2024

At the center of the opinions and harangues, and often their target, is Asaf Sternheim, a writer and teacher at an unnamed elite university. —Marc Tracy, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024

Verb

Ever since the October 7 attacks, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have sought to thread this needle by talking about their commitment to Israel’s defense while routinely haranguing Israel for its conduct of the war and pressuring the nation to operate with more restraint. —The Editors, National Review, 17 Oct. 2024

Doctors are being harangued for injury information that might be useful for gaining an edge in wagering. —Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle French arenge, from Old Italian aringa, from aringare to speak in public, from aringo public assembly, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German hring ring

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1660, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

harangue

noun

ha·​rangue

hə-ˈraŋ

1

: a speech addressed to a public assembly

2

: a forceful or scolding speech or writing

harangue verb

haranguer

-ˈraŋ-ər

noun