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exhortation

exhortation

10 8.4
Strong words that urge someone to do something
  • noun
  • /ˌɛksɔrˈteɪʃən/
  • Formal
translation icon : exhortación
  • His passionate exhortation encouraged the volunteers to continue their efforts despite the challenges.
  • moral exhortations
  • slogans and exhortations

That's This is why Solzhenitsyn's most important exhortation is live, not by lies.

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Examples

  • But neither Paul's exhortations nor all their protests had stopped the flow of blood.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Society has to realize that mere encouragement or exhortation is not going to accomplish anything.

    Academic text (1992)
  • I'll end my exhortation after dinner.

  • Such an exhortation has taken on more meaning since the beginning of the 21st millennium.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The Brady Plan turned out in practice to be rather more of an exhortation than a plan.

    Academic text (1990)
  • But I kept remembering Stokely's exhortation: "What we need is for you to talk to your own people."

    Academic text (1999)
  • Towards the end of his exhortation, the evangelist takes a new tack.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Mrs. Tucker almost capsizes us, with her arm-flinging and exhortations to Tim to "Go home!"

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The text was littered with exclamation points and loud with religious exhortations: "DOOMSDAY IS NEAR!"

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Otherwise councils, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards and punishments would be in vain.

Synonyms

urging
vsexhortation
23 3.9

A strong request or feeling that pushes someone to act

is earnest but less about strong pressure
spur
vsexhortation
15 4.1

A short comment that encourages someone to do something

is a fuller, earnest appeal rather than a brief remark
entreaty
vsexhortation
7 7.6

A serious, urgent request for help or forgiveness

is a strong encouragement rather than a pleading request
clarion call
vsexhortation
  • Literature
4 6.8

A strong clear request that makes people take action

is more of a private earnest urging than a public rallying demand
preachment
vsexhortation
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A religious speech that gives moral advice

is not limited to sermons and can be less formal advice
prompting
vsexhortation
1 3.8

Encouraging someone to do something by suggesting it

uses stronger, more earnest language instead of gentle suggestion
allocution
vsexhortation
  • Formal
1 9.9

A formal speech that gives advice and urges people to act

is usually less formal and less authoritatively framed
adjuration
vsexhortation
  • Formal
9.9

A serious, strong request for someone to do something

is earnest but less solemn and ritualized
parenetic
vsexhortation
  • Literature
9.9

A short piece of advice urging people to behave morally

is general encouragement not limited to short moral advice
spurring
vsexhortation
4.6

Words from a coach or friend that encourage someone to try something

focuses on sustained urging rather than brief encouragement

Antonyms

Making someone less willing to do something by saying you do not like it

1 7.7

The act of trying to stop someone from doing something

How Forceful

insistence
57 3.5
exhortation
  • Formal
10 8.4
urging
23 3.9
encouragement
54 1.9
suggestion
759 1.4

Surface Forms

exhortation singular
exhortations plural

Morphology

exhortation = exhort (transparent) = exhort + ation

The noun is a regular nominalization of the verb 'exhort' and denotes the act or instance of urging, directly derived from the base verb.

Etymology

Exhortation comes from the Latin parts ex- meaning 'out' and hortari meaning 'to urge' or 'encourage', so picture someone 'urging out' strong words to push others. That's why an exhortation is a strong, serious encouragement to make someone do something.