exhortation

noun

ex·​hor·​ta·​tion ˌek-ˌsȯr-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce exhortation (audio)
-sər-;
ˌeg-ˌzȯr-,
-zər-
1
: an act or instance of exhorting
2
: language intended to incite and encourage

Examples of exhortation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Trump’s public exhortations about Black men and women reflect a sensibility lodged somewhere between Jim Crow and late ’80s rap. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 What followed was an exhortation to eternal civic vigilance and tireless civic work. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 Its title seemed to be, as well, an exhortation to proclaim Jewishness loudly as integral to the culture. Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023 These exhortations worked: Total farm output nearly tripled between 1948 and 2019. Laura Reiley, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023 Any exhortation that gets broadcast to all of humanity will end up seeming meaningless, trite, or wrong. Adam Mastroianni, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2023 But the constant exhortations also remind students that they, too, are being watched. Vivian Wang, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2023 Amid nearly two hours of speeches and exhortations for change came a moment of silence. Brittany Shammas, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2023 With their love for pastoral retreat, Chinese artists of yore would certainly have understood the exhortation to get outside and touch grass. WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exhortation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhortation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near exhortation

Cite this Entry

“Exhortation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhortation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

exhortation

noun
ex·​hor·​ta·​tion ˌeks-ȯr-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce exhortation (audio)
ˌegz-
: an act or instance of exhorting
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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