Whatever they directed, it was in vain to expostulate; fetters, and bread and water, were the sure consequences of resistance.
Source: tatoeba (11570976)
Expostulate
//ɛksˈpɑstjʊleɪt//
Synonyms for "expostulate" (74 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (15)
Strong matches (22)
Related words (37)
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesSynonyms
9 entriesderived
4 entriesmanner of
1 entriesrelated to
2 entriesTranslations
5 translations across 4 languages.
Greek
2 entries- διαμαρτύρομαι verb (to protest)
- επιτιμώ verb (to protest)
Māori
1 entries- whakatāmaramara verb (to protest)
Russian
1 entries- усовещивать verb (to protest)
Spanish
1 entries- expostular verb (to protest)
Sample sentences
4 total sentences available.
The tears would run plentifully down my face when I made these reflections; and sometimes I would expostulate with myself why Providence should thus completely ruin His creatures, and render them so absolutely miserable; so without help, abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational to be thankful for such a life.
Source: wiktionary
[…] he affectionately loved many persons to whom he never or hardly ever shewed a countenance of love. Once on my venturing to expostulate with him on the subject, he reminded me of Solomon: “Many sons I have; it is not fit that I should smile on them.”
Source: wiktionary
Men expostulate with erring friends; they bring accusations against enemies who have done them a wrong.
Source: wiktionary
Keep exploring
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.