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Glite Dictionary
exhortatory

exhortatory

9.3
To encourage someone strongly to do something
  • adjective
  • /ɪkˈsɔːrtəˌtɔri/
  • Formal
translation icon : exhortatorio
  • The teacher gave an exhortatory speech to motivate the students to study harder for their exams.

Examples

  • In her exhortatory message, she urged the community to participate in the upcoming charity event.

  • The term aspirational is used by some legal scholars to describe a legal style that sets standards for their exhortatory value, with very little expectation that they will or can be met.

    Academic text (2001)

  • His exhortatory remarks encouraged the team to put in their best effort during the competition.

Synonyms

persuasive
vsexhortatory
99 3.9

Able to make someone believe or do something by giving clear reasons

relies on emotional urging not logical argument to prompt action
impelling
vsexhortatory
1 7.0

Making someone feel they must act

focuses on urging someone externally rather than inner compulsion
exhortative
vsexhortatory
  • Formal
8.6

Strongly encouraging someone to take action

is the alternate form contrasting only in spelling or style
hortatory
vsexhortatory
  • Formal
9.9

Strongly encourage people to take action

focuses on earnest encouragement rather than mere advice
hortative
vsexhortatory
  • Specialized
9.9

To urge people strongly to do something

is similar but centers on earnest urging rather than simple expression
parenetic
vsexhortatory
  • Literature
9.9

Giving advice that urges people to behave morally

is broader applying urgent encouragement in any context not just moral
imploring
vsexhortatory
6.1

Asking for help in a strong, pleading way

uses earnest urging without the begging emotional tone
motivative
vsexhortatory
7.8

That makes someone want to take action

emphasizes direct urging rather than simply causing behavior

Antonyms

discouraging
15 3.9

Causing someone to feel less confident or hopeful about trying something

How Forceful

commanding
8 4.1
insistent
50 4.1
exhortatory
  • Formal
9.3
encouraging
73 1.9
mild
107 1.0

Surface Forms

exhortatory positive

Morphology

exhortatory = exhortation (transparent) = exhort + atory

Formed from 'exhortation' (relating to urging) with the adjectival suffix '-atory', so the meaning 'giving strong encouragement' is predictable from the base.

Etymology

Exhortatory comes from the Latin parts ex- ('out') and hortari ('to urge' or 'encourage'), and is related to the verb exhort, which means to strongly tell someone to act. So, an exhortatory speech or remark strongly urges people to do something.