Definition of admonishnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb admonish contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of admonish are chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, and reprove. While all these words mean "to criticize adversely," admonish suggests earnest or friendly warning and counsel.

admonished by my parents to control expenses

Where would rebuke be a reasonable alternative to admonish?

The words rebuke and admonish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rebuke suggests a sharp or stern reproof.

the papal letter rebuked dissenting clerics

When is it sensible to use reprimand instead of admonish?

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

reprimanded by the ethics committee

How are the words reproach and chide related as synonyms of admonish?

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

reproached him for tardiness
chided by their mother for untidiness

When is reprove a more appropriate choice than admonish?

The words reprove and admonish can be used in similar contexts, but 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 admonish Bauder admonished the crowd several times for being too noisy, and police removed a protester who yelled vulgar comments. Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026 Last year, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded and admonished Givens, citing conduct that included allowing a staff member to impersonate her during a 2021 bond hearing and taking action in cases after she had been recused. Gromer Jeffers Jr, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026 The church's spiritual board had previously addressed the issue and formally admonished Pastor Tome. Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2026 LaBeouf, who waited alone in the courtroom wearing a fleece jacket and jeans tucked into cowboy boots, was also admonished by the judge for allegedly yelling homophobic slurs while hitting multiple people near the French Quarter. Jack Brook, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for admonish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for admonish
Verb
  • As a result, the officer was reprimanded for violating police department policy, including loss of take-home squad privileges and suspension from off-duty employment.
    Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • If this is for a work assignment, the consequence could be getting reprimanded for either taking too long or producing work of sub-par quality.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This was, after all, the woman who had advised me not to hold her hand on the way to fifth grade because doing so would only increase my social isolation.
    Lena Dunham, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • A week after the crash, police are advising anyone drinking to either call a friend or use a rideshare to get home safely.
    Heath Kalb, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But the stunt goes south as Wooley turns out to be an unabashed bigot who embarrasses the show and gets scolded by the host.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
  • This cross-partisan skit is refreshing and the only people who might hate it are Cuomo supporters and maybe some woke scolds.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Summit County Commissioner Eric Mamula warned that the concern is no longer hypothetical.
    Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Elder law experts warn that the best protection against uncertainty, exploitation or government infringement of your independence is to plan ahead, early and often.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Two advisers to Qatar told me that Global Risk had also conducted background checks and written reports on people linked to campaigns criticizing Qatar; corporate-intelligence firms often provide such open-source research.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • However, in a pair of letters to the editor published in the Journal of Pediatrics, doctors criticized the article as hyped.
    David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Bloomberg reported last month that xAI had posted a job listing looking for Wall Street bankers, portfolio managers, traders, and credit analysts to help teach the tool about the world of financial services.
    Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Her income dipped back to $192,000 in 2024 before rising again last year to $300,000, when Porter returned to teaching law at the University of California-Irvine.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • While viral videos often blame everything from breakouts to dullness on air conditioning alone, Jafari says the reality is less dramatic.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Jones blames that impasse for kicking the financial stability of TSA officers like a football.
    Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The meeting opened with a public comment period where several residents and activists chided Snelling and the Police Department and accused them of aiding and defending federal immigration authorities during the monthslong enforcement effort.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
  • That’s what economists said about tariffs, whose effects on prices were always just about to hit, the conservative think tanker Oren Cass chided in an X thread Monday as Liberation Day’s anniversary approaches.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Admonish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/admonish. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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