What does exhort mean?
To exhort is to urge someone strongly and earnestly toward a course of action, whether through impassioned speech, firm advice, or repeated encouragement. The verb implies more intensity than a simple suggestion: an exhortation carries a sense of urgency and often moral weight, as when a leader exhorts a nation to unity, a coach exhorts players before a match, or a preacher exhorts a congregation to live better. English borrowed the word from Latin exhortari, formed from the intensive prefix ex- and hortari, 'to encourage or incite' — a root it shares with 'hortatory', meaning serving to encourage, and, more unexpectedly, 'horticulture'. Exhort is largely formal in modern usage, appearing most often in political rhetoric, religious discourse, and serious journalism. It is commonly followed by an object and an infinitive, as in 'she exhorted them to act', and should not be confused with the similar-sounding 'extort', which involves coercion rather than persuasion.
verbTo strongly encourage or urge someone to do something, typically through earnest, forceful appeals or advice.
- To strongly urge or encourage someone to do something through earnest appeals or advice.
"The coach exhorted the team to give their absolute best in the final minutes."
"The mayor exhorted citizens to conserve water during the drought."
"In his farewell address, he exhorted the graduates to pursue truth above all else."
'Exhort' and 'horticulture' share the same Latin root — one urges growth in people, the other in gardens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exhort
Exhort comes from Latin exhortari, meaning 'to encourage or urge strongly', a combination of the prefix ex-, used intensively here, and hortari, 'to incite or encourage'. The word entered English via Latin in the late medieval period and has retained its sense of earnest urging ever since. It is related to 'hortatory', describing language meant to encourage action, and to 'horticulture', literally 'cultivation of gardens', both drawing on the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How exhort is actually used
'Exhort' is formal in register and carries a tone of moral seriousness; it typically appears in speeches, sermons, and writing about leadership or public appeals. It usually takes the pattern 'exhort someone to do something'.
Easily confused with exhort
'Extort' means to obtain something through force or threats, while 'exhort' means to urge or encourage someone earnestly.