exegesis

noun

ˌek-sə-ˈjē-səs How to pronounce exegesis (audio)
Definition of exegesisnext
as in interpretation
a statement that makes something clear a psychobiography that purports to be the definitive exegesis of the late president's character

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exegesis Some reviewers, including Artforum’s, were unimpressed with these layers of baroque exegesis, viewing them as a veneer—edgy but not embedded. — Rachel Wetzler, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026 Perhaps a better comparison for A$AP’s style isn’t a rhyme animal like Lamar, but a maximalist visionary like Travis Scott, who also seems more focused on colorful aural vibes than trenchant lyrical exegesis. — Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026 From true crime mania to the leftist backlash against urban gentrification and corporate greed, the themes are timely, salient, and well incorporated, if also a touch pretentious (Freud’s death drive gets an extended exegesis). — Judy Berman, Time, 13 Nov. 2025 Yale Divinity School’s curriculum often prioritizes social justice over biblical exegesis, a shift that would likely dismay its benefactors. — The Rev. Jake Dell, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for exegesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exegesis
  1. interpretation
  2. explanation
  3. illustration
Noun
  • Under the Taliban’s draconian interpretation of sharia, watching movies, playing chess, singing, and playing or listening to music are all banned.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Under certain interpretations of the 1963 rule, courts are not allowed to weigh whether a merger might make competition stronger overall.
    — Shubha Ghosh, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of interpretation
Noun
  • His best explanations for this are pressure from shareholders to prioritize immediate returns over long-term investments, and years of obsession with digital that came at the expense of physical retail.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The recreation is populated with people, animals, sound effects, and audio explanations.
    — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of explanation
Noun
  • But the circumstances provide an unusually good illustration of how potentially enormous financial advantage can be gained from knowing in advance what a president is about to say.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Holding cotton candy in one hand, Rani—whom Hudson shares with fiancé Danny Fujikawa—topped her long golden blonde hair with a cream cowboy hat that was embellished with her name and an illustration of a rose.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of illustration

Browse Nearby Words

exegeses
exegesis
exegetical
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“Exegesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exegesis. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on exegesis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about exegesis

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