REPROACHING Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

reproaching

verb

present participle of reproach

as in scolding

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

as in admonishing

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

as in censuring

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 reproaching As expected, Carly didn’t take the bait, reproaching Z for referring to her daughter by her last name, spy style. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026 The pillow talk on Man’s Best Friend often takes the curt, assertive tone of a person reproaching a precocious pet. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reproaching

Verb

Remake includes footage of Adrian urging his father to consider Carr’s offer, and gently scolding him for having passed up certain opportunities to make money—money that would have made the family's life better—off his filmmaking acumen.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026
Soon though, Shawna noticed some of Zaayer's strange behaviors — including scolding her grandson, getting upset over cleaning habits and allegedly showing them racist videos.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026

Definition of scolding

Verb

Regardless, this issue could have resolved if the Giants had issued a statement straight away either defending their players’ First Amendment right to express their views or admonishing them for violating the term of the CBA.

— Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
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

Definition of admonishing

Verb

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
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

Definition of censuring

Verb

In no way, shape or form should an INDYCAR driver be lecturing NASCAR on the excitement level of races.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
He was internationally known as an expert on the work of William Faulkner, teaching and lecturing around the world on the Nobel Prize winner.

— Rebecca McCarthy, AJC.com, 13 July 2026

Definition of lecturing

Verb

Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
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

Definition of reprimanding

Verb

The Times has since issued a statement denouncing the subpoenas.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
During Democratic presidencies, which the DSA mostly spends denouncing the occupant of the Oval Office as a sellout, Democratic loyalists have less patience for factional complaints.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026

Definition of denouncing

Verb

Larson has been using all that corporate PAC money to run an ad criticizing Bronin for accepting support from a Connecticut billionaire who has been a prolific Democratic donor.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
On Saturday, July 25, Perry, 41, shared a post on X, criticizing the use of her song.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026

Definition of criticizing

Verb

The student protest started on June 6, demanding the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, blaming him for the exam paper leaks that happened in May.

— Priyanka Salve,Raksha Murali, CNBC, 23 July 2026
But a troll sent Gray a nasty message after a different game, and Armour suddenly had enough concern about player safety to write an entire column blaming Clark.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of blaming

Browse Nearby Words

reproachfully

reproaching

reproachingly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Reproaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproaching. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of reproaching

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on reproaching

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

parochial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes