philippics

noun

plural of philippic
as in attacks
a long angry speech or scolding the head coach was briefly suspended after launching into a foul-mouthed philippic during a press conference

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for philippics
  1. attacks
  2. criticisms
  3. tirades
  4. jeremiads
  5. diatribes
  6. rants
  7. harangues
  8. sermons
Noun
  • In his statement, Dan also blamed Russia for a spate of attacks in recent weeks on civilian maritime transport in the Black Sea, which has left at least three people dead and has raised fears of an escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine.
    — STEPHEN McGRATH, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The bomber could potentially conduct electronic attacks alongside its existing weapons operations, reducing its dependence on specialized escort aircraft in certain scenarios.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of attacks
Noun
  • The government efforts to make sure that male royals are producing male emperors have triggered criticisms.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • If the report is so defective that nobody should rely on it, release it alongside the state’s criticisms and let lawmakers, journalists, insurance experts and Floridians examine both.
    — Matthew T. Christ, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of criticisms
Noun
  • Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher went on one of his bad-boy tirades during a performance at the 1996 show by swearing, wandering the stage and making lewd gestures during his brother Noel’s guitar solo.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
  • This tradition viewed progressive nationalism as using promises of reform and demagogic tirades against scapegoats abroad to distract from their own corruption and irresponsibility.
    — Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of tirades
Noun
  • The question, of course, is what we are supposed to do with these bourgeois jeremiads against bourgeois civilization, beyond enjoying them as high-end primal-scream therapy.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Definition of jeremiads
Noun
  • The two agreed that Springsteen's penchant in recent years for going on mid-concert political diatribes is wearing a little thin.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Design After endless diatribes about the quirky lines of Ferrari’s all-electric Luce, the marque’s enthusiasts will find that the Amalfi Spider’s long-hood, raked-screen, and open-top lines are comfortingly familiar and unquestionably gorgeous.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of diatribes
Noun
  • Because China’s system is tightly controlled, its descent into personalistic one-man rule does not play out in divisive confrontations on television or erratic social media rants by the top leader.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The residents occasionally gather in a disused rec center but the meetings devolve into rants about immigrants, junkies, thugs and vigilantism.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of rants
Noun
  • The movie is an epic series of harrumphs and harangues, propelled from room to room—and, in time, out into the world beyond the estate—by a spirit of impudent absurdism and corrosive cynicism which seems to emanate from Digger himself.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Stephen Adly Guirgis, a New York playwright who specializes in urban pressure-cooker dramas, has a gift for writing subway strap-hanger harangues.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of harangues
Noun
  • His apocalyptic sermons taught that his followers and their children should starve themselves to death to get into heaven before the end of the world, per Reuters.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Bakker offered upbeat sermons and Tammy Faye, charismatic and always wearing her trademark heavy mascara, sang.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sermons
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

philippic
philippics
philistine
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Cite this Entry

“Philippics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/philippics. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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