1
as in admonishing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
strongly rebuked the girl for playing with matches
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3
as in reprimanding
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 rebuking
Beloved actor Ron Perlman fully leans into trying to make the contestants fail this task by forcing eye contact, asking them polite questions, rebuking their bad manners in ignoring him, and even doggedly getting into their personal space.
—
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Last year, however, Warsh voiced support for lower interest rates, rebuking the Fed's concern about inflation risk posed by a flurry of new tariffs.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 June 2026
The conservative Justices rewarded this strategy, rebuking not Alabama but the lower court for not being deferential enough to a state that had repeatedly demonstrated its determination to delay and obstruct.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Medical schools and institutions must be at the forefront of teaching about the inequities that persist to this day — and equally at the forefront of rebuking studies like the hepatitis B vaccine trial.
—Uzma Rentia, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
Judges are growing increasingly frustrated, publicly rebuking the administration for missing deadlines and failing to comply with court orders.
—Pratheek Rebala, ProPublica, 10 Feb. 2026
The two moderate senators’ comments stand out amid the GOP’s apparent reservation about rebuking Noem publicly, even though many have called for an investigation into Pretti’s fatal shooting.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi responded directly to Merz’s Tuesday comments, rebuking the condemnation of the Islamic Republic.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026
Administration officials say the lower court judges rebuking them are the ones who are lawless and a threat to the nation.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Last year, however, Warsh voiced support for lower interest rates, rebuking the Fed's concern about inflation risk posed by a flurry of new tariffs.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 June 2026
The conservative Justices rewarded this strategy, rebuking not Alabama but the lower court for not being deferential enough to a state that had repeatedly demonstrated its determination to delay and obstruct.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Medical schools and institutions must be at the forefront of teaching about the inequities that persist to this day — and equally at the forefront of rebuking studies like the hepatitis B vaccine trial.
—Uzma Rentia, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
Judges are growing increasingly frustrated, publicly rebuking the administration for missing deadlines and failing to comply with court orders.
—Pratheek Rebala, ProPublica, 10 Feb. 2026
The two moderate senators’ comments stand out amid the GOP’s apparent reservation about rebuking Noem publicly, even though many have called for an investigation into Pretti’s fatal shooting.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi responded directly to Merz’s Tuesday comments, rebuking the condemnation of the Islamic Republic.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026
Administration officials say the lower court judges rebuking them are the ones who are lawless and a threat to the nation.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebuking
Verb
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In the viral video after the shooting, neighbors can be heard angrily admonishing officers for killing the dog.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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The other night Charles Barkley was admonishing people to stop wringing their hands about the Thunder being too physical with Wembanyama.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Verb
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The princess hilariously put her little brother in his place by scolding him.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
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On March 12, the judge sought to change the journalists’ seating arrangement in court after scolding them for asking İmamoğlu questions during a hearing.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Earlier this week, Scott Agness claimed his press credentials were revoked by the team after his reporting led to the WNBA reprimanding the Fever for not being transparent about Clark’s health status during a game on May 20.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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If something’s not done as far as reprimanding, what will that do to him as a student?—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The group issued a point-by-point analysis of the memorandum, criticizing it for potentially freeing up tens of billions of dollars for Iran without putting sufficient safeguards to ensure the country won’t use the money to fund operations against the United States.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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The week, however, was not without controversy for the South Korean team, as the squad barred press from their home country after audio of media criticizing the mandatory military service exemption granted to Son was leaked.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
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College professors spend less time lecturing than a typical sportswriter creating fake controversies to criticize.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
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If and until that day comes, there will be fingerpointing, lecturing and posturing, all of which has flowed freely in the wake of the Sorsby decision.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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As this memoir opens, Iran’s morality police stalk the university where Nafisi works, censuring her female students.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
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Brown, the lone vote against Martinez’s item, said offering trainings to all councilmembers without mandating it for the mayor and not censuring him absolved Martinez of accountability.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rodrigo eventually countered that her detractors were blaming the wrong person.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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On Thursday, the company was sued by a Canadian blaming the chatbot for her daughter’s decision to hang herself.—
Bernard Condon,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
Verb
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The display by the players caused a backlash among some in the team's fan base and prompted a national controversy in a city renowned for its support of LGBTQ+ culture, with Mayor Daniel Lurie among those condemning the players' actions.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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The comments have gained attention online after a video clip from the meeting began circulating on social media, with critics condemning Pittman’s characterization of Juneteenth.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rebuking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebuking. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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