as in urging
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the speaker exhorted the graduating students to go forth and try to make a difference in the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 exhorting
Trump has spent years dehumanizing immigrants, exhorting law enforcement to treat suspects more roughly, and attacking the rule of law.
—
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Sergey Brin, Google’s billionaire cofounder who stepped back from day-to-day involvement in 2019, is back full-time, pitching in on some of the technical work and exhorting staffers to push themselves harder and to work longer hours, according to media reports.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
In its opening scene, from George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, Preston starts singing the warmly exhorting gospel song that gives the film its name.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
San Diego Clippers coach Paul Hewitt sometimes resembles a third-base coach, waving his arms forward rapidly, exhorting his players to race the ball up the floor after a rebound or forced turnover.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Nov. 2024
On an August day in 2011, a man stood outside City Hall in Newark, New Jersey, exhorting a crowd through a wireless microphone.
—Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Sergey Brin, Google’s billionaire cofounder who stepped back from day-to-day involvement in 2019, is back full-time, pitching in on some of the technical work and exhorting staffers to push themselves harder and to work longer hours, according to media reports.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
In its opening scene, from George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, Preston starts singing the warmly exhorting gospel song that gives the film its name.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
San Diego Clippers coach Paul Hewitt sometimes resembles a third-base coach, waving his arms forward rapidly, exhorting his players to race the ball up the floor after a rebound or forced turnover.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Nov. 2024
On an August day in 2011, a man stood outside City Hall in Newark, New Jersey, exhorting a crowd through a wireless microphone.
—Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhorting
Verb
-
With Basic, Devantez delivers a love letter to millennial angst, urging those who are lost to put down their screens and find themselves before judging others.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Have every county and city elected official hard at work explaining to their constituents what is at stake —- and urging them to contact legislators in a mass public message of condemnation.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Moon, planet of emotions, soars into your 9th House of Philosophy today, encouraging you to explore ideas, cultures, or beliefs that soften sharp edges.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The program is designed to foster stronger connections at the local level, encouraging neighbors to communicate, collaborate and celebrate one another.—
Chuck Page,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exhorting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhorting. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
