preach

American  

[preech] / pritʃ /

verb (used with object)

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)

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

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

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

Asked about the latest comments on Tuesday, Leo said that the Catholic Church's mission was to "preach peace" and the Gospel.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

According to the military investigator, this was not to preach a radical form of Islam with the end of destabilising the country, but to act as a "spiritual 'prayer-warrior' for the operation".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Now it’s my turn to practice what I preach.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

He did make excellent soap, which he handed out on the streets of Los Angeles to anyone who’d listen to him preach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

“Did you? Did you preach the gospel through song?”

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

Related Words

• exhort
• teach