expostulate

IPA/ɪkˈspɒstʃəleɪt/
IPA/ɪkˈspɑːstʃəleɪt/

expostulate — verb

  • expostulatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • expostulateshe / she / it
  • expostulatedpast simple
  • expostulating-ing form

1. to tell someone earnestly why you believe their action or decision is wrong, hop

1.verbintransitiveC2
Definition

to tell someone earnestly why you believe their action or decision is wrong, hoping to persuade them to change their mind — used in formal or literary English.

Example

Astrid expostulated with her brother about his plan to drop out of university.

expostulate + with + person + about + issue

In an open letter, Henry expostulated against the mayor's decision to close the public library.

expostulate + against + decision or policy

Common collocations
  • expostulate with
  • expostulate about
  • expostulate against
  • expostulate on
  • expostulate at length
  • expostulate loudly
  • expostulate passionately
Synonyms
  • remonstrate

    equally formal, but focuses on stating objections rather than reasoning at length to persuade

  • protest

    much more common and less formal; can be used without the nuance of trying to change someone's mind

  • argue

    a broader, everyday word that covers any exchange of opposing views, not necessarily with the earnest tone of expostulate

Antonyms
  • acquiesce

    to accept something quietly without protest — the opposite of actively objecting

  • concur

    to agree formally, the opposite of expressing disagreement

Grammar Patterns

expostulate with [person] about [issue]

expostulate against [decision or policy]

expostulate on [topic]

Usage Note

Almost always followed by a preposition: use 'with' before the person you are reasoning with, and 'about', 'against', or 'on' for the topic. This verb is very rare in everyday speech — learners are more likely to encounter it in literary texts, formal speeches, or historical writing.

Common Mistakes

She expostulated him about the decision.
She expostulated with him about the decision.
'expostulate' requires 'with' before the person; it does not take a direct object.
I expostulated that the plan was too risky.
I expostulated against the plan, saying it was too risky.
'expostulate' is not followed by a that-clause; use a prepositional phrase instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve expressing opposition, but they differ in formality, construction, and nuance. 'Expostulate' is the most formal and least common; it specifically suggests reasoning with someone at length in an earnest attempt to change their mind. 'Remonstrate' is similarly formal but focuses more on stating strong objections or complaints, often to an authority figure. 'Protest' is much more common and can range from formal to informal contexts; it does not necessarily imply reasoning — you can simply state your disagreement. 'Object' is the most neutral and versatile, used in everyday situations such as objecting to a suggestion in a meeting. For example, you might expostulate with a friend about a reckless decision, remonstrate with a committee for ignoring proper procedure, protest a new law at a rally, or simply object to a particular point during a discussion.

expostulate ↗remonstrate ↗protest ↗object ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • expostulate with someone about something
  • expostulate against a decision

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'expostulatus', past participle of 'expostulare' — formed from 'ex-' (meaning 'out, thoroughly') and 'postulare' (meaning 'to demand'). The original sense was 'to demand urgently or vehemently', which softened over time into 'to reason earnestly in protest'. The word entered English in the early 16th century and has remained firmly in the formal and literary register ever since.

First known use

1573

1573, in the meaning defined at transitive sense