1
as in disgrace
a cause of shame
your public display of boorish behavior is a reproach to this entire school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in condemnation
an often public or formal expression of disapproval
a letter of reproach was added to her dossier
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shame
the state of having lost the esteem of others
nothing the traitor did in later life lessened the reproach in which he was universally held
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
our neighbor loudly reproached us for tromping through his yard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reprimand
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 to censure
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
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Recent Examples of reproach
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Cansever’s letters to Siesbye, which were published in 2021, are moody, erotic, and playful—full of yearning and of reproach.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2024
We are reproached for being too thin or too plump, for eating too little or too much.
—Kristina Kasparian, Longreads, 12 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for reproach
Noun
Hearing it might irritate parents or teachers, but that irritation has no cause and therefore merits no reproach.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Cansever’s letters to Siesbye, which were published in 2021, are moody, erotic, and playful—full of yearning and of reproach.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
Verb
While some online trolls criticized the actress' appearance, other observers rushed to her defense, calling out the comments' lecherous and misogynistic overtones and reproaching the invasion of privacy represented by the photos themselves.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2024
We are reproached for being too thin or too plump, for eating too little or too much.
—Kristina Kasparian, Longreads, 12 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for reproach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reproach
Noun
-
Despite some high-profile falls into disgrace, India’s spiritual leaders are widely revered.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This kind of Jim Crow–style dehumanization is pathetic and a disgrace to the office.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Condolences and condemnation also poured in from various embassies in Islamabad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
-
More than 30 people were killed in the clashes, prompting condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who invoked the country’s peaceful heritage.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pair it with their signature warm nuts drenched in Tap Roots’ homemade spicy maple syrup, which is destined to put the hot honey craze to shame once word gets out.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
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With the Presidents Day Weekend sales ushering in an abundance of deals on some of Amazon’s best loungewear sets, now’s the time to stock up on easy two-piece outfits that’ll put your current favorites to shame.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Young kids paddled near the shallow edges and bigger kids jumped off the cliffs above the swimming hole, causing the adults to gasp and scold.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
4 Feb. 2026
-
During the trip, the priest who was showing them around was scolded.—
McKinley Franklin,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Several told the Herald they were reprimanded for speaking to the media to promote the cultural events being hosted by the center.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Following the meeting, Green was reprimanded by a captain for failing to review the video with the officers.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The complaint is seeking a $10,000 fine and a public reprimand or censure for actions that Ajayi took while running for office in 2024 while she was employed by Broward County.—
Carlton Gillespie,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The investigation led the board of the Business & Industrial Development Authority, known as BIDA, to publicly censure the former chairman, Tracey Wyatt.—
Reed Williams,
AJC.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The entire imbroglio proved hugely damaging, not only to Boohoo but also the Leicester garment industry, which was already struggling to cope with the manufacturing shift overseas before the fear of being tainted by scandal led its remaining buyers to flee en masse.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Feb. 2026
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Former San Leandro City Councilman Bryan Azevedo pleaded guilty Wednesday to accepting a $2,000 bribe and then lying about it to federal agents — the first conviction in a sprawling East Bay political corruption scandal that has also ensnared Oakland’s former mayor.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For his courtroom outbursts, Davis found Thompson in contempt of court and added a little more than four and a half years to his sentence.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Never has Congress compelled the testimony of a former president under threat of contempt charges.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reproach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproach. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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