Definition of REPROACHABLE

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Verb

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

Examples of reproach in a Sentence

Noun A bug in the logic of a design, though discovered and fixed in the lab, stands as a slight reproach to the designer. — Tracy Kidder, The Soul of a New Machine, 1981 Yes, he told them, when he came, it was quite true that they would have to pay interest. And then Teta Elzbieta broke forth into protestations and reproaches, so that the people outside stopped and peered in at the window. — Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, 1906 "He's the finest boy in England," the father said in a tone of reproach to her, "and you don't seem to care for him, Becky, as much as you do for your spaniel. … " — William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, 1847 She looked at him with reproach. Accusations and reproaches from both parties made it difficult to pursue discussions. His conduct has brought shame and reproach to his family. Verb Parents and teachers gaped at the young writers, uncertain whether to reproach or praise these young adults for their language in writing about decidedly adult issues. — Tobi Jacobi, English Journal, March 2007 For years I fretted over these questions and reproached myself for not having taken that diary when it was offered to me in 1945. — John Hope Franklin, Race and History, 1989 She did not reproach herself with her failure; but she would have been happier if there had been less discrepancy between her words to Sophy Viner and the act which had followed them. — Edith Wharton, The Reef, 1912 our neighbor loudly reproached us for tromping through his yard she cleared her throat as a way of reproaching us for having our elbows on the table

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The real reproach against him was that, had the shoe been on the other foot, or the makeup on the other face, the Liberals would never have allowed Andrew Scheer, the Conservative Party leader, to live it down. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, "Justin Trudeau’s Victory Was Narrow, but Still Significant," 22 Oct. 2019 Its history of peaceful transfers of power between opposing political parties is a standing reproach to China’s dictatorship. — Seth Cropsey, WSJ, "America’s Stake in Taiwan," 18 June 2019 The Turkish state and army are beyond reproach; suggestions to the contrary border on treason. — The Economist, "How genocide denial warps Turkish politics," 7 Nov. 2019 For the past 35 seasons, the position has been held by only four men, all beyond reproach. — Ann Killion, SFChronicle.com, "Giants’ next manager needs much more than in-depth knowledge of analytics," 4 Nov. 2019 It was never meant to imply that all women were faultless and beyond reproach. — Christine Emba, Twin Cities, "Christine Emba: You need to know Chanel Miller’s name," 2 Oct. 2019 For anyone in the know, his reputation is beyond reproach. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Judge to weigh possible bias by Smollett special prosecutor," 2 Oct. 2019 Repeatedly called out as a chronic dawdler, Holmes has thus far failed to respond to public embarrassment or private reproach. — Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "J.B. Holmes' slow pace of play can be solved if golf enforces its own rules," 22 July 2019 From his chairman’s perch, meanwhile, Biden took a sharply inquisitorial line of questioning toward Hill, and reassured the country that Thomas’s character was beyond reproach. — Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, The New Republic, "The Destructive Politics of White Amnesia," 6 Aug. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Amidror called Yoni Koren, Barak’s chief of staff, and reproached him for not reporting the meeting with Emanuel. — New York Times, "The Secret History of the Push to Strike Iran," 4 Sep. 2019 Truffaut sharply reproached established French filmmakers for complaining about pressure from producers or from official censors. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, "The Truffaut Essays That Clear Up Misguided Notions of Auteurism," 8 June 2019 According to Marca, Ramos immediately reacted to Ronaldo’s actions by reproaching the Portuguese for his actions, having deemed his comments to be inappropriate during such a time for the club. — SI.com, "Sergio Ramos Makes Feelings Clear to Cristiano Ronaldo After Star's Shock Comments on Madrid Future," 30 May 2018 And the incident also displays his reluctance to reproach his fans, however nasty their behavior. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Responds to Roseanne Saga by Whining About His Own Treatment by ABC," 30 May 2018 Rather than blaming gun owners for mass shootings, Mr. Cox said, Americans should reproach the institutions of government and law enforcement that fail to stop such killings. — Alexander Burns, New York Times, "Renewing Bond With the N.R.A., Trump Appeals for Help in the Midterms," 4 May 2018 Longtime hyper-involved volunteer Suzanne (Lisa Anne Porter, bouncing up and down with the enthusiasm of Richard Simmons) is equally vehement in bulldozing her views over everyone else’s and then reproaching herself for doing so. — Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle, "Aurora’s ‘Eureka Day’ goes from ‘so Berkeley’ to universal," 22 Apr. 2018 His daughter Luiza, now in her late 30s and living in Spain, reproached him for being absent from her life for the last 20 years. — Kit Gillet, New York Times, "Being Dead, He Learned, Is Hard to Overcome," 30 Mar. 2018 Gibson, 75, would reproach Shapiro, 74, for being more shocked and offended by what happened to Gibson than Gibson was. — Chris Kaltenbach, baltimoresun.com, "Two old friends share stories of erasing racial lines in Baltimore," 12 Mar. 2018

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

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Last Updated

25 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Reproach.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reproachable. Accessed 18 January 2020.