Definition of reprehendnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb reprehend differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reprehend are censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, and reprobate. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

Where would censure be a reasonable alternative to reprehend?

The synonyms censure and reprehend are sometimes interchangeable, but censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When would condemn be a good substitute for reprehend?

While in some cases nearly identical to reprehend, condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

When can criticize be used instead of reprehend?

While the synonyms criticize and reprehend are close in meaning, criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

How are the words denounce and condemn related as synonyms of reprehend?

Denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When is reprobate a more appropriate choice than reprehend?

The words reprobate and reprehend can be used in similar contexts, but reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprehend
Verb
  • The most bitter exchange came when Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, denounced Rubio’s role in gutting humanitarian aid.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Trump has repeatedly denounced Powell for alleged overspending tied to the central bank's renovation.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • No less than a half-dozen GOP senators publicly criticized the Department of Justice for investigating Powell over Hill testimony last year about the Fed headquarters’ renovation.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Last week, Graham Knaus, the chief executive of the California State Association of Counties, criticized Newsom’s budget for not responding to the cost burdens shifting to local governments.
    Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • He was condemned for the April 1998 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30, at the woman's suburban Houston apartment.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Charles Victor Thompson was condemned for the April 1998 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30, at her apartment in the Houston suburb of Tomball.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In a comparable case in the United States in 2023, a federal judge imposed $5,000 fines on two lawyers and a law firm after ChatGPT was blamed for their submission of fictitious legal research in an aviation injury claim.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • That leaves them out of pocket, at risk of reputational damage and in danger of losing customers who blame them, rather than the cloud services provider, for the problem.
    David Prosser, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • And while criticism of insurance companies was bipartisan, Republicans and Democrats also blamed one another for the crisis, with the GOP faulting Obamacare and Democrats accusing Republicans of using the hearings to deflect from their own inaction to address rising premiums.
    Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Reitz faulted Roy for calling for Paxton’s removal during the 2020 whistleblower scandal and backing his impeachment by the Texas House for alleged misconduct.
    From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Reprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprehend. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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