1
as in admonished
to criticize (someone) so as to correct a fault
the father was forced to rebuke his son for the spendthrift ways he had adopted since arriving at college
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
strongly rebuked the girl for playing with matches
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reprimanded
to express public or formal disapproval of
in a rare move, the state's supreme court rebuked the governor for trying to circumvent one of its recent rulings
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Recent Examples of rebuked
The unsealing of the disciplinary findings came one day after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court sharply rebuked Krasner’s office for misleading courts, withholding evidence, and violating its duty of candor in multiple efforts to overturn murder convictions.
—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
19 June 2026
But voters rebuked his vision for the future of Georgia’s Republican Party, writes Greg Bluestein.
—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
Cape Verde didn’t win, but its performance rebuked some of the criticisms that the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 would weaken the tournament.
—
James Robson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
The pope has fiercely criticized joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and rebuked world leaders for invoking religious language to rationalize war and voiced opposition to the administration’s immigration crackdown.
—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Judge Penney Azcarate rebuked Banfield in remarks.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
That notion was publicly rebuked by the Finnish federation on Wednesday.
—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Following the Iran vote, top Republicans were also rebuked on a measure to provide aid to Ukraine.
—
Claudia Grisales,
NPR,
3 June 2026
In that case, the judge rebuked actions by prosecutors, saying the Justice Department can no longer be trusted to enforce its power fairly and honestly.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
19 June 2026
But voters rebuked his vision for the future of Georgia’s Republican Party, writes Greg Bluestein.
—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
Cape Verde didn’t win, but its performance rebuked some of the criticisms that the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 would weaken the tournament.
—
James Robson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
The pope has fiercely criticized joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and rebuked world leaders for invoking religious language to rationalize war and voiced opposition to the administration’s immigration crackdown.
—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Judge Penney Azcarate rebuked Banfield in remarks.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
That notion was publicly rebuked by the Finnish federation on Wednesday.
—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Following the Iran vote, top Republicans were also rebuked on a measure to provide aid to Ukraine.
—
Claudia Grisales,
NPR,
3 June 2026
In that case, the judge rebuked actions by prosecutors, saying the Justice Department can no longer be trusted to enforce its power fairly and honestly.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebuked
Verb
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Beyond failing to qualify for the 2024 Euros, Barbarez admonished the association’s leadership for its 2022 decision to schedule friendlies with Russia soon after it was banned by FIFA and UEFA for invading Ukraine.
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Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Judge Timothy Mazzei then admonished Heuermann.
Verb
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This time, however, Charlotte promptly scolded him for his untoward behavior.
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Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opener in Qatar.
Verb
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One notable instance came in season 1 of America's Sweethearts, when Powell was reprimanded for asking where her ornament was on the locker room Christmas tree, as opposed to expressing gratitude for the decorations.
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Later on during the trial, the judge reprimanded Pino and his supporters for hugging and physical embracing him while court was in session and the jury was present.
Verb
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Greenspan was also criticized for enacting policies that contributed to the subprime mortgage crisis that led to the recession at the end of the 2000s.
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The Federal Reserve’s steadfast period of low interest rates in the 2000s was criticized as contributing to a housing bubble in the 2000s, followed by the mortgage crisis of 2007 and the Great Recession the following year.
Verb
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Sharon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Member of the UK Association of Jungian Analysts, and has taught and lectured at many academic institutions, Jungian organisations, retreat centres and cultural festivals around the world.
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It was also being lectured by people who presented a formulaic perspective on a complicated future that the class of 2026 is already navigating.
Verb
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The two were censured and expelled from the International City/County Managers Association for ethics code violations.
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He has been accused of vote trading and threatening recalls against his colleagues and was censured twice by the council.
Verb
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The county argues the grand jury fundamentally misunderstood what happened before the explosion, saying its investigation relied on speculation instead of evidence and wrongly blamed county officials for a criminal enterprise prosecutors say was built on years of deception.
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That’s how many layoffs have been blamed on AI so far this year, according to career services firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas.
Verb
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They have also been widely condemned by antisemitism watchdogs, the university and government officials — some of whom suggested that his comments should prevent him from being hired anywhere.
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There are moments when a phrase, or a current of thought, that had seemed condemned to archival history is suddenly all anyone talks about.
Cite this Entry
“Rebuked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebuked. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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