chide

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb chide contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of chide are admonish, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, and reprove. While all these words mean "to criticize adversely," reproach and chide suggest displeasure or disappointment expressed in mild reproof or scolding.

reproached him for tardiness
chided by their mother for untidiness

When might admonish be a better fit than chide?

Although the words admonish and chide have much in common, admonish suggests earnest or friendly warning and counsel.

admonished by my parents to control expenses

When can rebuke be used instead of chide?

While the synonyms rebuke and chide are close in meaning, rebuke suggests a sharp or stern reproof.

the papal letter rebuked dissenting clerics

In what contexts can reprimand take the place of chide?

While in some cases nearly identical to chide, reprimand implies a severe, formal, often public or official rebuke.

reprimanded by the ethics committee

When could reprove be used to replace chide?

The meanings of reprove and chide largely overlap; however, reprove implies an often kindly intent to correct a fault.

gently reproved my table manners

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 chide One story that stands out is the time Nikki chided James for not liking A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines. Katie Mitchell, Essence, 7 June 2025 In 1962, former President John F. Kennedy chided steel companies for raising prices during an economically fragile time and pressured them to reverse the measures. Julie Coleman, CNBC, 23 May 2025 The judge chided Combs’ team for attempting to negotiate more time, with lawyer Marc Agnifilo calling Ventura the most important witness in the case. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025 Stewart’s granddaughter is a huge fan of Eilish, and Stewart chided Cutler for failing to get her backstage access to one of the singer’s recent Madison Square Garden concerts, as Stewart had requested. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chide
Verb
  • Following the jury exiting the court for a 15-minute break, Judge Arun Subramanian had to admonish Agnifilo for suggesting that the jury would speculate as to why federal prosecutors made certain charging decisions against Combs during his closing salvo.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025
  • Rather than admonish critics, Moore is urging them to join GHF’s efforts to get food to people on the ground in Gaza.
    Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • Paul Krugman has referred to deficit hawks as ‘deficit scolds’, because the spend more time warning about the dangers of the deficit than fixing it.
    Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Musk and Gor reportedly clashed in Cabinet meetings where Musk scolded Gor over personnel disagreements in recent months.
    Ally Goelz, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • That brief timeline likely means that Combs — who has been reprimanded by Judge Arun Subramanian for nodding at jurors while his defense attorneys cross-examine government witnesses — will not take the stand.
    Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 24 June 2025
  • But Pitt later said in an interview with GQ in 2024 that Alcoholics Anonymous reprimanded him for talking about his experience with the group publicly.
    Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • At a time when establishing clarity of first principles has never been more urgent, UF’s law school practically dared anyone to criticize the award for whitewashing the Constitution.
    Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2025
  • In his post, the New York state Assemblymember criticized online trolls for targeting Duwaji during his mayoral campaign.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • The lawsuit alleges the Tesla’s design was to blame for the car swerving out of its lane and not braking correctly, according to Reuters.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 June 2025
  • Partly to blame is high inflation, claimed Bankrate, which has increased by about 24% since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chide. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on chide

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