1
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
our neighbor loudly reproached us for tromping through his yard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in admonished
to criticize (someone) usually gently so as to correct a fault
she cleared her throat as a way of reproaching us for having our elbows on the table
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in censured
to express public or formal disapproval of
the governor reproached the legislature for failing to pass the budget on time and once again throwing the state into fiscal chaos
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 reproached
Jean’s mama reproached her for not having been more careful and babied Wole, ordering him to remove his T-shirt and retrieving an aloe lotion, telling him to stretch out on the couch and instructing Jean to spread it over the tender areas.
—
David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
During her tenure, she was openly critiqued for her lack of political knowledge and reproached for her Christian-fundamentalist views on evolution.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
During her tenure, she was openly critiqued for her lack of political knowledge and reproached for her Christian-fundamentalist views on evolution.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reproached
Verb
-
Rachel Dratch scolded Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz for laughing while rehearsing the original Debbie Downer sketch on Saturday Night Live.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Oct. 2025
-
There, she is repeatedly scolded, first by a testy parking attendant (Mark Stolzenberg), and then by a doctor (Bronstein), who warns Linda of consequences if her daughter doesn’t soon reach her target weight of fifty pounds.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He was admonished in an awkward one-on-one interview by the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano for playing too high up the pitch against the man-marking Italians rather than dropping deep.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The judge agreed and admonished the defense on the bench Friday.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In addition, Blain, who was elected to office last November, has been under investigation by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and has been censured twice by the council.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The debate over whether Councilmember Johnathan Hernandez should be formally censured took center stage at Tuesday’s meeting when Mayor Valerie Amezcua and councilmembers Phil Bacerra, Thai Viet Phan and David Penaloza directed city staff to conduct a formal investigation into the complaints.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Augusta was a devout Christian who often lectured the Bible to her sons and blamed alcohol and women for the evils of the world, per the outlet.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Clarke and his business partner sold photographs and films, wrote and lectured about their adventures, and began treasure hunting.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Turnage was not disciplined or reprimanded in connection with the investigation, according to the lawsuit.—
Miami Herald,
Boston Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The president of the statewide North Carolina education system publicly reprimanded UNC’s Board of Trustees for their meddling weeks after Belichick’s hiring, and temporarily stripped the board of some authority.—
The Athletic Colleges staff,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Both parties have denounced its soaring costs, crushing debt, and degrees that don’t yield jobs.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The announcement has caused an immediate and negative pushback from prominent MAGA figures, who have denounced the decision as going against the America First politics the movement supports.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticized Hamas earlier in the day for releasing only four of the 28 confirmed deceased hostages, calling it a breach of the agreement.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
And while the council does have the power to reject commissioners, Jenkins’ move was scathingly criticized by the Coalition for Police Accountability, an advocacy group that first lobbied to establish the oversight body.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In August, a gunman who blamed COVID vaccines for his depression opened fire on the agency’s Atlanta campus, killing a police officer.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The woman long blamed for her role in the fall of the Aztec empire in 1521 is getting a modern makeover.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reproached.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproached. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share