preach

American  

[preech] / pritʃ /

verb (used with object)

• preaches,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preached,
  past participle,  past
• preaching
  present participle

1. to proclaim or make known by sermon (the gospel, good tidings, etc.).

2. to deliver (a sermon).

3. to advocate or inculcate (religious or moral truth, right conduct, etc.) in speech or writing.

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verb (used without object)

• preaches,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preached,
  past participle,  past
• preaching
  present participle

1. to deliver a sermon.

2. to give earnest advice, as on religious or moral subjects or the like.

   Synonyms:

   expound, pronounce, profess, advocate

3. to give earnest advice in an obtrusive or tedious way.

idioms

1. preach to the choir. see preach to the choir.

preach British  

/ priːtʃ /

verb

1. to make known (religious truth) or give religious or moral instruction or exhortation in (sermons)

2. to advocate (a virtue, action, etc), esp in a moralizing way

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preach More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing preach

• practice what you preach

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• outpreach
  verb (used with object)
• preachable
  adjective
• unpreached
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• preaching
  present
• preached
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• preach
  simple
• preaches
  simple
• have preached
  perfect
• has preached
  perfect
• am preaching
  progressive
• are preaching
  progressive
• is preaching
  progressive
• have been preaching
  perfect progressive
• has been preaching
  perfect progressive

Past

• preached
  simple
• had preached
  perfect
• was preaching
  progressive
• were preaching
  progressive
• had been preaching
  perfect progressive

Future

• will preach
  simple
• will have preached
  perfect
• will be preaching
  progressive
• will have been preaching
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of preach

1175–1225; Middle English prechen < Old French pre ( ë ) chier < Late Latin praedicāre to preach ( Latin: to assert publicly, proclaim). See predicate

Explanation

To preach is to deliver a sermon or an otherwise powerful message. You may go to church to hear the minister preach, and you may preach tolerance to your friends. Have you ever heard anyone say, "That's preaching to the choir"? That means you're wasting your words on somebody who already believes what you believe. If you're giving an impassioned speech about recycling to an audience dressed in reclaimed clothing and sandals made of old tires, you're likely to be preaching to the choir. The word preach comes from the Latin prae, "before," and dicare, "declare." When you preach, you're not just talking — you're declaring something with conviction.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preach preaches preached preaching

The strategists also preach caution and expect continued investor wariness around so-called “AI cannibalization areas,” namely the software, business services and media sectors.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

Pastors and faith leaders can preach on any moral or social issue, including justice, poverty, immigration, war.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

"We want to be a place where there's a mixing of lots of perspectives, and this is us practicing what we preach -- a cosmologist working closely with a condensed matter theorist."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026

Here people sell, picket, preach, protest, dine, sit and sleep.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

“You rather me preach? I wisht I felt up to havin’ our Sunday time in the parlor.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

On Tuesday night, Lahmeyer, a 34-year-old who preaches in suits, announced that he was running to represent Tulsa’s solidly red district, which is currently held by Rep. Kevin Hern.

From Slate ● Mar. 26, 2026

But from the Old Testament to the New, it consistently preaches for the faithful to humble themselves, to help the poor and downtrodden.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

But experts who work with children say that there is a long way to go before the system can properly implement the ideals the law preaches.

From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2026

“If they’re too aggressive early, they’re basically burning matches,” said Andrew Yoder, a high performance triathlon coach who preaches the benefits of uphill running.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2025

Pastor Eldridge just about preaches Khalil into heaven.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

Abdel-Rahman lived and preached in New Jersey before he was convicted in 1995 of seditious conspiracy in relation to the first bombing of the World Trade Center.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

Civic engagement was not something they preached, it was how they lived.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

His dad preached frugality, saving, investments and ownership.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

Generally speaking, I find the “millennials are entitled” narrative quite tired and sometimes preached by people who grew up in a much healthier economy.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 25, 2026

James Martineau preached that the gospels could transform an individual into a believer just through their beauty, not through strict, traditional belief in every word of the Bible.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Certain evangelical leaders may be politically and personally odious, but millions of Americans have flooded into nondenominational churches in search of biblical preaching, youth programs, fellowship, forgiveness and music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

This is where we find Lestat in Season 3, preaching the gospel that this is his time.

From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026

But it turns out that for many Americans, preaching the gospel of ranch isn’t a job.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

"If someone wants to criticise me for preaching the Gospel... I hope simply to be listened to because of the value of God's words."

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

Reverend Matyolo was a stout man in his mid-fifties, with a deep and potent voice that lent itself to both preaching and singing.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• exhort
• teach