preach

[priːtʃ]

preach Definition

  • 1deliver a religious address to an assembled group of people, typically in church
  • 2advocate or recommend (a course of action)
  • 3give moral advice to someone in a self-righteous or tedious way

Using preach: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "preach" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The priest preached a sermon on forgiveness.

  • Example

    He always preaches the importance of hard work.

  • Example

    Don't preach to me about healthy eating when you're eating junk food yourself.

  • Example

    She's always preaching about the benefits of meditation.

preach Synonyms and Antonyms

Phrases with preach

  • to try to convince someone of something that they already believe

    Example

    I don't need to be preached to about the importance of recycling - I've been doing it for years. You're preaching to the choir.

  • to do the things that you advise other people to do

    Example

    You should practice what you preach and start exercising regularly if you want to be healthier.

  • to express the same opinions and ideas as someone else in a group, especially in public

    Example

    We need to make sure that everyone in the company is preaching from the same hymn sheet when it comes to our new marketing strategy.

Origins of preach

from Old English 'prēc(e)an', meaning 'proclaim, make known'

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Summary: preach in Brief

To 'preach' [priːtʃ] is to deliver a religious address, advocate or recommend a course of action, or give moral advice in a self-righteous or tedious way. It can be used in religious or secular contexts, as in 'The priest preached a sermon on forgiveness' or 'He always preaches the importance of hard work.' The phrase 'preach to the choir' means to try to convince someone of something they already believe, while 'practice what you preach' means to do what you advise others to do.

How do native speakers use this expression?