EN

Synonyms for reprove

  • verb

Most common

admonish rebuke scold reprimand

All synonyms

Verb

1. Admonish — to express disapproval

admonish, rebuke, scold, reprimand, chide, condemn, blame, reproach, chasten, censure, chastise, lecture, correct, rate, lambast UK, lamblast US, take to task, upbraid, reprehend, carp, objurgate, castigate, criticize UK US, criticise UK

Other

reproof, bad-mouth

Antonyms

praise, commend, compliment

All antonyms of reprove →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To express disapproval.

Related words

Word family
reproof reprovable reproval reprovement

Forms

Past participle
reproved
e.g. reproved → admonished, rebuked, scolded, reprimanded…

Choose the right word

Reprove, Censure, Rebuke, Warn or Admonish?

Censure, rebuke, and reprove apply to wrong that has been done; warn and admonish refer to anticipated error or fault.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • rebuke He took it for an implied rebuke.
  • reprimand The boss called Tatyana into his office to reprimand her.
  • scold I cannot scold Taninna. She's still a little girl.
  • admonish No words were able to admonish him.
  • reproof It was then that my fathers reproof had come home to me.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
reproverising
rebukerising
reprimandsteady
scoldrising
admonishsteady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters
rate1, carp1
5 letters
blame1, scold1, chide1
6 letters
rebuke2
7 letters
correct2, lecture2, condemn2, censure2, reproof, lambast, chasten2, upbraid2
8 letters
reproach2, chastise2, admonish3, lamblast
9 letters
criticize3, criticise, reprimand3, castigate3, reprehend, objurgate

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (rebuke2 = 2 syllables).