admonish

verb

ad-ˈmä-nish How to pronounce admonish (audio)
Definition of admonishnext
1
as in to reprimand
to criticize (someone) usually gently so as to correct a fault admonished her for littering

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to advise
to give advice to my physician is always admonishing me to eat more healthy foods

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb admonish contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of admonish are chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, and reprove. While all these words mean "to criticize adversely," admonish suggests earnest or friendly warning and counsel.

admonished by my parents to control expenses

Where would rebuke be a reasonable alternative to admonish?

The words rebuke and admonish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rebuke suggests a sharp or stern reproof.

the papal letter rebuked dissenting clerics

When is it sensible to use reprimand instead of admonish?

While in some cases nearly identical to admonish, reprimand implies a severe, formal, often public or official rebuke.

reprimanded by the ethics committee

How are the words reproach and chide related as synonyms of admonish?

Both reproach and chide suggest displeasure or disappointment expressed in mild reproof or scolding.

reproached him for tardiness
chided by their mother for untidiness

When is reprove a more appropriate choice than admonish?

The words reprove and admonish can be used in similar contexts, but reprove implies an often kindly intent to correct a fault.

gently reproved my table manners

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 admonish Police Chief Bret Cottrell wrote a letter that same day to the sergeant admonishing his actions, according to the suit. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Before handing down the sentence, Judge Jeannine Pratt directly addressed Flynn, admonishing him for the selfish actions that shattered his daughters’ lives and their innocence. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2026 In April 2025, Braxton Keith stopped a show to admonish fans for tossing beer and elaborated on the issue during an appearance on Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026 Despite being a point of contention for Prince William and Prince Harry, who’ve publicly admonished him for revealing personal details about Diana for financial gain, this memoir is only one of several royal tell-alls penned by Burrell. — Sophie Dunne, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for admonish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for admonish
  1. reprimand
  2. advise
  3. scold
  4. warn
  5. criticize
  6. teach
  7. blame
  8. chide
Verb
  • Mandell was later formally reprimanded for allowing another client’s hearing to be delayed by six years, during which time two witnesses died.
    — Samantha Melamed, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Denver school board censured director Monica Hunter on Thursday night, the third time in five years that the governing body of Colorado’s largest K-12 district has publicly reprimanded a colleague.
    — Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of reprimand
Verb
  • Solomon Rivera went from a job advising Mayor Karen Bass to running an outside campaign committee supporting her reelection months later, causing some experts to question whether the committee is independent.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Jokilehto advised that invitations should list the names of the people in the household that are invited.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of advise
Verb
  • But leaders seeking to encourage tourism scolded residents who warned of the danger on social media.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • From behind a tree, Neil and Florence observed Brenda scolding little Neil.
    — S. M. Reznik, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of scold
Verb
  • Some economists have warned that the one-time direct payment would do little to ease affordability pressures, and could exacerbate inflation at a time when many Americans are already feeling strained.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Legault forwarded the complaint up the chain of command, warning district officials that this email was just the beginning.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of warn
Verb
  • Vance has neither criticized his friend nor publicly nudged Carlson to temper what’s been harsh criticism of Israel — and Trump’s cultivation of the Netanyahu government.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • At an October debate, Bass pointed out that Raman, as chair of the city council’s housing and homelessness committee, had repeatedly approved spending on Inside Safe, the very program Raman now criticizes as expensive and insufficiently accountable.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of criticize
Verb
  • Turn that knowledge into teaching moments for the people who lead you.
    — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Technical knowledge can be taught and examined but the skills Freebairn values most, such as influencing, persuading, and negotiating, cannot.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of teach
Verb
  • That set off the wave of youth protests that blamed the collapse on high-level corruption and cronyism during renovation work at the station.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Anything this pair does for the next several months that is not together will be scrutinized, dissected, interpreted, and ESPN can only blame itself.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of blame
Verb
  • The next day, the emergency manager reduced the threat level a notch, and the communications department chided residents for sharing warnings of catastrophic flooding on social media, noting that some posts featured old videos.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In the second trial, the judge chided Evans for striking a juror based on race.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of chide

Browse Nearby Words

admixtures
admonish
admonished
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Cite this Entry

“Admonish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/admonish. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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