preach
preech
Preach (verb) means to deliver a religious message or sermon, usually in public. Example: “The pastor preached about forgiveness on Sunday morning.”
verb
1
To deliver a religious message or sermon, usually in public.
"The pastor preached about forgiveness on Sunday morning."
"The vicar preached to a full church every week, speaking calmly from the pulpit."
"Street evangelists sometimes preach loudly outside the market on Saturday afternoons."
2
To give moral or practical advice, often in a way that feels tiresome or overbearing.
"My uncle loves to preach about the importance of saving money."
"She wasn't trying to preach at him, just offer a suggestion."
"Don't preach to me about healthy eating while you're holding a doughnut!"
How to use preach
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo give a religious talk, or, more generally, to lecture someone about how they should behave.
Common mistake
When used outside religion, "preach" often carries a negative tone — implying someone is lecturing rather than simply advising.
Common pairings
preach to the choir
preach a sermon
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Word forms
- Plural
- preaches
- Third person singular
- preaches
- Past tense
- preached, praught
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pastor _____ about forgiveness on Sunday morning.
Etymology
From Old French "prechier," from Latin "praedicare," meaning "to proclaim" or "announce publicly."
Related words
Rhymes for preach
See all rhymes for preach →Frequently asked questions
What does “preach” mean?
The word “preach” means to deliver a religious message or sermon, usually in public. In plain terms, to give a religious talk, or, more generally, to lecture someone about how they should behave.
How do you pronounce “preach”?
“Preach” is pronounced preech (/pɹit͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “preach” in a sentence?
Here is “preach” used in a sentence: “The pastor preached about forgiveness on Sunday morning.”
What part of speech is “preach”?
“Preach” is a verb.
Where does the word “preach” come from?
The word “preach” comes from Latin. From Old French "prechier," from Latin "praedicare," meaning "to proclaim" or "announce publicly.".
Is “preach” a common word?
“Preach” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “preach” have?
“Preach” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to deliver a religious message or sermon, usually in public.
What is the difference between preach and teach?
Preach specifically refers to delivering a religious message or sermon, usually in public, or giving moral advice in an overbearing way, while teach is a neutral term for imparting knowledge or skills on any subject. Preach carries a moral or religious weight that teach does not necessarily have.
Why is 'don't preach at me' used as a criticism?
When someone says 'don't preach at me,' they are objecting to being given moral or practical advice in a way that feels tiresome or overbearing, rather than to religious preaching specifically. This figurative sense of preach is common in everyday complaints about unwanted lecturing.
What is the difference between preach and lecture?
Preach often carries a moral or religious tone and can imply repetitiveness or self-righteousness, while lecture more generally means giving a formal talk or reprimand, which may or may not involve morality. Both can describe unwanted advice, but preach leans more toward moralizing.
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