1
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
the frustrated manager lectured the waitstaff about its poor level of service
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in speaking
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
a physician who has lectured before countless audiences on the importance of diet and exercise in avoiding heart disease
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Recent Examples of lecturing
Christian author Philip Yancey is retiring from writing and lecturing after admitting to a long-running affair with a married woman.
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Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
After teaching at Sacramento City College and lecturing at UC Davis, Fisher moved into public history, working with the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Architectural History Department at Caltrans.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Teaching, writing, lecturing, coaching, creating, or launching digital products becomes profitable.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 23 Dec. 2025
And now, with several countries withdrawing from global governance, Jin thinks those lecturing China on being responsible are being hypocritical.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025
One man determined to change this is Christos Tsirogiannis, a Greek forensic archaeologist lecturing at Cambridge University.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Dec. 2025
This development meant that Sir John no longer jets around the world at taxpayers’ expense polluting the air and lecturing people about the end of the world while attending various climate change conferences in Switzerland with other jet-setting air polluters.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Since exiting Dries Van Noten a few years ago, Scallon has been working as an independent consultant and mentor in fashion communications strategy, also lecturing occasionally and sharing his views about creative content on podcasts.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
The same woman Don had been lecturing about beer.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lecturing
Verb
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But more recently, groups of citizens have grown tired of scolding and have begun reaching for the birch rod.—
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But acknowledging, or god forbid, scolding the internet for laughing at Kirk would only give it all more power.—
Verb
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While speaking with officer Marvin Kirk Brown, who issued the warrant, the victims' parents said the minors were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield served as a director, according to the arrest warrant.—
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These culturally sensitive classes are led by experienced Vietnamese educators and are tailored to the needs of Vietnamese-speaking families.—
Verb
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Censures, a means of formally reprimanding a lawmaker without going so far as to expel them, have historically been rare; in the 200 years after Congress first convened, only 22 House members were censured.—
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When conversation veers into controversial territory, Gott suggests redirecting rather than reprimanding.—
Verb
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Frankly, talking cost per use, the nail care hack pays for itself.—
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Seconds before the shooting, Good and her wife are seen talking to Ross.—
Verb
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This third point is particularly important when there is an outspoken founder in the wings like Chip Wilson who has been publicly criticizing board decisions.—
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Since a shooting by an ICE agent in Minnesota killed a woman earlier this week, Martina Navratilova has shared dozens of X posts criticizing him and others in ICE.—
Cite this Entry
“Lecturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lecturing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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