exhortation
Americannoun
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the act or process of exhorting.
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an utterance, discourse, or address conveying urgent advice or recommendations.
noun
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the act or process of exhorting
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a speech or written passage intended to persuade, inspire, or encourage
Synonym Usage
See advice.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exhortation
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English exhortacioun, from Latin exhortātiōn- (stem of exhortātiō ) “a pleading, urging.” See exhortative, -ion
Explanation
When you were little, heading out the door on a freezing cold day, your mom probably made an exhortation to put on your hat and zip your coat up all the way. An exhortation is a loud or enthusiastic urging. Use an exhortation any time you really want to encourage someone to do something. It's a way of communicating that's persuasive and powerful — an exhortation might come from a government in the form of a speech encouraging people to get flu shots, or it might be a teacher urging his students to sit quietly. Whether it comes in the form of a warning or encouragement, an exhortation strongly advises people to take some particular action.
Vocabulary lists containing exhortation
Frankenstein
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The Merchant of Venice
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Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1933), List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also wrote 11 other major documents, such as Apostolic Constitutions and Apostolic Exhortations.
From Reuters • Jun. 7, 2023
Exhortations to always try your hardest and maintain a positive attitude were punctuated with other signs that came across as slightly more sinister.
From The Verge • Jun. 19, 2019
Still others claimed to be turned off voting simply because the regime’s desperation for a high turnout had become so stark: Exhortations to vote blared from everywhere, from roadside posters to grocery-store receipts.
From Slate • Mar. 19, 2018
Exhortations to “transform culture, not just respond to it” are what many of us want to hear.
From The New Yorker • Feb. 8, 2017
When the Presbyter giveth learning of the Holy Communion he may, at his discretion, use the first or the second of the Exhortations appended to this Liturgy.
From The Book of Common Prayer and The Scottish Liturgy by Episcopal Church in Scotland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
