What does exhortation mean?
Exhortation is an earnest, forceful appeal intended to spur someone toward action. It is more than casual encouragement: an exhortation carries urgency and moral weight, whether delivered by a preacher urging repentance, a commander rallying troops, or a leader calling citizens to civic duty. The word functions as a noun and pairs naturally with adjectives like 'impassioned', 'stern', and 'fervent', as well as with constructions such as 'an exhortation to action'. Its register is formal to literary, so it appears more often in speeches, sermons, and written rhetoric than in everyday conversation. Derived from Latin roots meaning to urge or encourage thoroughly, exhortation shares ancestry with 'exhort' and 'hortatory'. It remains useful precisely because ordinary words like 'advice' or 'suggestion' lack its sense of pressing, heartfelt insistence.
nounAn address or communication that strongly urges someone to do something; the act of exhorting — earnest encouragement or admonition.
- An earnest appeal or urging, especially in speech or writing, that strongly encourages someone to act.
- The act of exhorting; verbal encouragement or admonition.
"Despite the coach's impassioned exhortation, the team trailed at halftime."
"The principal's exhortation to study hard fell on distracted ears."
"In his farewell letter, he offered one final exhortation: never stop asking questions."
Regular plural; often used when referring to repeated appeals or a collection of urgings, especially in historical or religious writing.
"The treatise is filled with exhortations to humility and patience."
The same Latin root that gives us 'exhortation' gives us 'horticulture' — both literally involve 'growing' someone or something toward an outcome.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exhortation
Exhortation comes from the Latin 'exhortatio', derived from the verb 'exhortari', meaning to urge or encourage strongly. That verb combines 'ex-' (thoroughly) with 'hortari' (to encourage or incite), a root also seen in 'hortatory' and, more distantly, in 'horticulture'. The word entered English via Latin ecclesiastical use, appearing by the early modern period, and retains strong associations with religious and moral discourse.
Related word forms
How exhortation is actually used
Register is formal to literary; it appears most often in religious, political, and motivational contexts. The tone is generally earnest rather than hostile, though repeated exhortation can shade into nagging or preaching.
Easily confused with exhortation
Exportation means the act of sending goods out of a country, while exhortation means earnest urging or encouragement.