Preachy describes someone who lectures others about how to behave, often in an annoying or self-righteous way. When a story gets preachy, it stops showing interesting characters and situations and starts telling readers what they should think or do. When a person acts preachy, they talk down to others as if they have all the answers and everyone else needs correction.

Imagine a friend who constantly tells you how you should study, what you should eat, and how you should spend your time, even when you didn't ask for advice. That's being preachy. Or think of a movie that interrupts the action to deliver a long speech about an important lesson, making the audience feel like they're sitting through a lecture instead of enjoying the story.

While preaching has its place in religious settings, being preachy in everyday life means forcing your opinions on others in a way that feels pushy or superior. Most people respond better to genuine conversation than to someone standing on a soapbox telling them how to live.