rebuke

verb re·buke \ ri-ˈbyük \

Definition of rebuke

rebuked; rebuking

transitive verb

1 a :to criticize sharply :reprimand

b :to serve as a rebuke to

2 :to turn back or keep down :check

—

rebuker

noun

See rebuke defined for English-language learners

See rebuke defined for kids

Examples of rebuke in a Sentence

the father was forced to rebuke his son for the spendthrift ways he had adopted since arriving at college
strongly rebuked the girl for playing with matches

Recent Examples of rebuke from the Web

Biomedical researchers and experts have sharply rebuked the lack of safety oversight and slammed the poor quality of the data collected, which has been rejected from scientific publication.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Bucking FDA, Peter Thiel funds “patently unethical” herpes vaccine trial," 28 Aug. 2017
So far, very few GOP lawmakers have rebuked Trump over the pardon.

— benjamin hart, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Reportedly Wanted to Kill Arpaio Investigation Before Conviction," 27 Aug. 2017
Yellen also rebuked Trump – without naming him – on Friday at an annual monetary policy conference in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

— author: damian paletta, philip rucker, Alaska Dispatch News, "Trump confronts unprecedented public rebuke by top adviser after Charlottsville," 25 Aug. 2017
The Human Rights Campaign-Kansas City rebuked Kearney School District officials for not apologizing publicly to gay graduates whose quotes were stripped from the 2017 yearbook.

— mará rose williams, kansascity, "Human Rights Campaign slams Kearney School District on Facebook over yearbook fiasco," 17 Aug. 2017
Late-night comedians all took to their respective stages ready to rebuke President Donald Trump for his refusal to call out Nazis and white supremacists for their actions in Charlottesville, Virginia, until two days after the fact.

— laura bradley, vanityfair.com, "Seth Meyers Proves, Once Again, Why He’s Late-Night’s Unsung Hero," 15 Aug. 2017
Late-night comedians all took to their respective stages ready to rebuke President Donald Trump for his refusal to call out Nazis and white supremacists for their actions in Charlottesville, Virginia, until two days after the fact.

— laura bradley, HWD, "Seth Meyers Proves, Once Again, Why He’s Late-Night’s Unsung Hero," 15 Aug. 2017
The federal courts regularly rebuke key aspects of his immigration orders.

— michael wohl, Washington Post, "Most Republicans still say they support Trump. Who’s most likely to break ranks and speak out against him?," 20 July 2017
Watson was also rebuked for the same by the Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach.

— tonya alanez, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Stalking suspect's years of courtroom clashes show history of hostility," 20 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rebuke.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of rebuke

Middle English, from Anglo-French rebucher, rebouker to blunt, check, reprimand

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

rebuke Synonyms

Synonyms

admonish, chide, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off, burn one's ears, get after, get on

Antonyms

cite, commend, endorse (also indorse)

Related Words

berate, castigate, chew out, dress down, flay, harangue, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture, rail (at or against), rate, scold, score, upbraid; abuse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, blame, blast, censure, condemn, criticize, crucify, denounce, dis (also diss) [slang], excoriate, fault, knock, lash, pan, reprehend, slam; belittle, deprecate, disparage, minimize, mock, put down; deride, ridicule, scoff, scorn

Near Antonyms

approve, endorse (also indorse), OK (or okay), sanction; applaud, extol (also extoll), hail, laud, praise, salute, tout

Synonym Discussion of rebuke

reprove, rebuke, reprimand, admonish, reproach, chide mean to criticize adversely. reprove implies an often kindly intent to correct a fault.

- gently reproved my table manners

rebuke suggests a sharp or stern reproof.

- the papal letter rebuked dissenting clerics

reprimand implies a severe, formal, often public or official rebuke.

- reprimanded by the ethics committee

admonish suggests earnest or friendly warning and counsel.

- admonished by my parents to control expenses

reproach and chide suggest displeasure or disappointment expressed in mild reproof or scolding.

- reproached him for tardiness
- chided by their mother for untidiness

rebuke

noun

Definition of rebuke

:an expression of strong disapproval :reprimand

Examples of rebuke in a Sentence

delivered a stinging rebuke to the Congress, calling for an end to backstabbing and arguing

Recent Examples of rebuke from the Web

Trump unleashed his latest criticism of the GOP's congressional leadership in a series of morning tweets Thursday that also included a rebuke of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his inability to get the Senate to repeal the Obama health care law.

— Bloomberg.com, "Trump Calls Corker’s Comments ‘Strange’," 25 Aug. 2017
Wonder Women director Patty Jenkins issued a scalding rebuke of James Cameron on Thursday after the Avatar and Titanic director suggested that the summer's No.

— claire zillman, Fortune, "‘Wonder Woman’ Director Unloads on James Cameron: ‘There Is No Right Kind of Powerful Woman’," 25 Aug. 2017
Instead, his rhetoric on Charlottesville has earned a rebuke even from non-confrontational Speaker Paul Ryan, and Trump isn’t even on speaking terms with McConnell.

— david a. graham, The Atlantic, "Trump's Vacation Is Over," 23 Aug. 2017
In 2017, audiences seemed especially hungry for the show’s message, a rebuke of rigid world views and self-seriousness delivered by a black, gay drag queen with decades in the business.

— rebecca keegan, vanityfair.com, "Au Revoir, Jerry Lewis," 21 Aug. 2017
In 2017, audiences seemed especially hungry for the show’s message, a rebuke of rigid world views and self-seriousness delivered by a black, gay drag queen with decades in the business.

— rebecca keegan, HWD, "Au Revoir, Jerry Lewis," 21 Aug. 2017
James Murdoch, the younger son of Trump ally and conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, pledged to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League in a rebuke of Trump and urged others to do the same.

— abigail tracy, The Hive, "Trump’s Worst Week Yet Keeps Getting Worse," 18 Aug. 2017
Would the attorney general dare issue a public rebuke to Trump with the president so evidently eager to get himself a new attorney general?

— andrew cohen, Esquire, "How the President Undermined Police Chiefs," 31 July 2017
The case has divided the institute’s staff, and Salk’s statements about the women have drawn social media dismay and rebukes from prominent biologists, including Nobel laureates.

— meredith wadman, Science | AAAS, "Salk Institute under fire for ‘smear’ on women suing it for discrimination," 19 July 2017