as in lessons
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 sermons
The fracas played out in heated sermons, editorials, and denominational meetings.
—
Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
His father was a Southern Baptist minister, and his Sunday morning sermons were broadcast on the radio in the afternoons.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Post with his cigarettes and endless fan interaction, and Jelly with his sermons on generational trauma and second chances.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2026
His father’s Sunday sermons were played back on local radio station WLBN 1590 AM, a 1,000-watt station operating from sunrise to sunset.
—Stephen L. Betts, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026
In this early 19th-century rebirth of backcountry religion, traveling ministers preached a fiery gospel of grace, stirring large crowds with their open-air sermons.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Dodd proposed her father's birthday, June 5, as Father's Day, but ministers selected the third Sunday in June to allow more time after Mother’s Day to prepare their sermons.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Speeches and sermons circulated widely, helping create a national political identity before the nation itself formally existed.
—Richard Torrenzano, Fortune, 26 May 2026
During Muharram’s mourning period, Shiʿis gather in assemblies to hear preachers offer sermons, relate the life of Ḥusayn, and recount the events of the Battle of Karbala.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
His father was a Southern Baptist minister, and his Sunday morning sermons were broadcast on the radio in the afternoons.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Post with his cigarettes and endless fan interaction, and Jelly with his sermons on generational trauma and second chances.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2026
His father’s Sunday sermons were played back on local radio station WLBN 1590 AM, a 1,000-watt station operating from sunrise to sunset.
—Stephen L. Betts, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026
In this early 19th-century rebirth of backcountry religion, traveling ministers preached a fiery gospel of grace, stirring large crowds with their open-air sermons.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Dodd proposed her father's birthday, June 5, as Father's Day, but ministers selected the third Sunday in June to allow more time after Mother’s Day to prepare their sermons.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Speeches and sermons circulated widely, helping create a national political identity before the nation itself formally existed.
—Richard Torrenzano, Fortune, 26 May 2026
During Muharram’s mourning period, Shiʿis gather in assemblies to hear preachers offer sermons, relate the life of Ḥusayn, and recount the events of the Battle of Karbala.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sermons
Noun
-
Some of our favorite lessons include The Resilient Mind and How to Speak with Confidence and Charisma.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 June 2026
-
Divergent designed the system over a 28-month period using lessons learned from more than a decade of additive manufacturing operations.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Their speeches focused on the people standing beside them, the women who came before them, and the next generation watching from the audience.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
There will also be an invite-only grand opening ceremony on June 18 with performances and speeches.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Cole’s canvases were synthetic constructions teeming with homilies.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
No lectures, no homilies, no empty words.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The agreement calls for an immediate end to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, and sets out expectations for the next phase of talks, which will tackle more challenging issues, mainly the future of Iran's nuclear program.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
That has tribes urgently seeking government-to-government talks with Interior Department officials in a bid to win an exemption, according to Blaine Harden of Inside Climate News.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sermons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sermons. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
