What does "sermon" mean?
Religious discourse; a written or spoken address on a religious or moral matter.
Sermon
/ˈsɝ.mən/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Religious discourse; a written or spoken address on a religious or moral matter.
- Grammar: sermon is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: preaching, address, admonishment, admonition.
- Useful contrasts: dialogue, discussion, informational briefing.
- Usage evidence: The vicar often refers to the Bible in his sermon.
How to use "sermon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sermon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sermon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sermon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sermon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sermon" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "preaching" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sermon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Religious discourse; a written or spoken address on a religious or moral matter.
"One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.” He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis […] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable."
- 2 a moralistic rebuke wordnet
- 3 A lengthy speech of reproval.
- 4 an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To discourse to or of, as in a sermon. obsolete, poetic
"January 23 1583, Edmund Spenser, letter to Walter Raleigh To some I know this methode will seem displeasaunt, which had rather have good discipline delivered plainly in way of precepts, or sermoned at large, as they use, then thus clowdily enwrapped in allegorical devises"
- 2 To tutor; to lecture. obsolete, poetic
"Come, sermon me no further."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The vicar often refers to the Bible in his sermon."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sermon"?
Common synonyms include: preaching, address, admonishment, admonition, assignment, biblical address.
How do you use "sermon" in a sentence?
The vicar often refers to the Bible in his sermon.
How do you pronounce "sermon"?
Pronounced /ˈsɝ.mən/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English sermoun, from Anglo-Norman sermun and/or Old French sermon, from Latin sermō, sermōnem, from Proto-Indo-European *sermō, from *ser- (“to bind”) + *-mō.
Etymology 2
From Middle English sermonen, from Old French sermoner, from sermon (see above).