expostulate

American  

[ik-spos-chuh-leyt] / ɪkˈspɒs tʃəˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

expostulated, expostulating

1. to reason earnestly with someone against something that person intends to do or has done; remonstrate.

   His father expostulated with him about the evils of gambling.

   Synonyms:

   counsel , exhort , protest , argue , dispute

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expostulate British  

/ ɪkˈspɒstjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to argue or reason (with), esp in order to dissuade from an action or intention

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Other Word Forms

• expostulatingly adverb
• expostulation noun
• expostulator noun
• expostulatory adjective
• unexpostulating adjective

Etymology

Origin of expostulate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin expostulātus “urgently demanded, required” (past participle of expostulāre ); ex- ¹, postulate

Example Sentences

He often stops on his way into and out of the proceedings, which cameras can’t film, to expostulate and to cast various developments as victories.

From Seattle Times

"I was born in a provincial town, in a family that had nothing to do with the world of journalists, politicians or bankers," he expostulated, clearly annoyed.

From BBC

Adam Smith, who expostulated the theory of the Invisible Hand in “The Wealth of Nations” in 1776, believed that most business was narrowly focused on reducing costs and improving quality.

From Washington Post

Right now, one of her loudest detractors is that expostulating foghorn Morgan, who believes women should be equal to men just as long their wardrobes meet his exacting age-appropriate standards.

From The Guardian

They have come out of their way to find a doctor—not for themselves but as a useful addendum to Sanditon’s delights, upon which Parker likes to expostulate, to the exclusion of every other theme:

From The New Yorker