Harangue
noun / verb /həˈræŋ/ — A lengthy, aggressive speech
Definition
A long, loud, aggressive speech directed at someone — typically with the purpose of scolding, persuading, or inciting. To harangue is to deliver such a speech.
Beyond the definition
The speech that refuses to allow a response. A harangue holds the floor by force and won't let go until it is done.
Origin & history
From Old French 'harangue' (public speech), possibly from Old Italian 'aringa' (a public square, a speaking platform). The harangue is the speech that fills the public square.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The foreman's daily harangue about productivity had long since stopped producing any.
She delivered a fifteen-minute harangue and then walked out before anyone could respond.
A harangue is different from a lecture: a lecture wants you to learn something. A harangue wants you to feel something.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Harangue” when the meaning fits your context: A long, loud, aggressive speech directed at someone — typically with the purpose of scolding, persuading, or inciting. To harangue is to deliver such a speech.
Synonyms
tirade, lecture, rant, diatribe, scolding
Antonyms
quiet conversation, dialogue
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Aggressive Oratorical Performance
An orator stands assertively on a stage, arms stretched out in a commanding gesture, their expression filled with the intensity of their public speech.
A harangue is a long, loud, and aggressive speech designed to scold or persuade. The orator's intense, commanding presence on the stage visualizes the high-energy, intimidating nature of this rhetorical act, where the speaker uses their full physical and vocal force to project an aggressive, persuasive message to a crowd.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Harangue" mean?
Harangue is noun / verb meaning: A lengthy, aggressive speech. A long, loud, aggressive speech directed at someone — typically with the purpose of scolding, persuading, or inciting. To harangue is to deliver such a speech.
Where does the word "Harangue" come from?
From Old French 'harangue' (public speech), possibly from Old Italian 'aringa' (a public square, a speaking platform). The harangue is the speech that fills the public square.