reproaching

verb

present participle of reproach
1
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings our neighbor loudly reproached us for tromping through his yard

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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

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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
  1. scolding
  2. admonishing
  3. censuring
  4. lecturing
  5. reprimanding
  6. denouncing
  7. criticizing
  8. blaming
Verb
  • Rather than scolding parents about screens, society could do more to support families in ways that obviate the need for screen time.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Do not punish your dog by scolding or yelling at them, as this may make your dog's behavior worse out of fear or stress.
    — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 28 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
  • The City Council, which is considering censuring the mayor, asked for assistance because the city’s Human Resources director wasn’t available at the time, according to Mayor Pro Tem Tara Graves.
    — Elijah Megginson, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of censuring
Verb
  • Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon criticized Spain for lecturing Israel on security while struggling to control its own border.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
  • Fauci stepped down from his NIAID post at the end of 2022 and segued to a lecturing job at Georgetown.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 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
  • Bryant then claims that Cunningham's stance on female sports is comparable to Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem or denouncing the Fourth of July as sadistic.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Trump did strike some notes of unity, praising the Secret Service and denouncing political violence.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of denouncing
Verb
  • Restrictions have extended outside the classroom, with some teachers being fired or punished for criticizing conservative activist Charlie Kirk after his assassination.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In 2022, Cunningham shared a message criticizing the participation of Lia Thomas in women’s college swimming and said athletes should have the opportunity to compete fairly.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of criticizing
Verb
  • The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection released a report blaming the Eaton Fire on electrical arcing events that took place on an out-of-service Southern California Edison (SCE) tower.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Jeanine Pirro after her office moves to drop vandalism charges over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blaming faulty construction instead.
    — Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of blaming

Browse Nearby Words

reproachfully
reproaching
reproachingly
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Cite this Entry

“Reproaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproaching. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of reproaching for Spanish Speakers

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