reprobate 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of reprobatenext
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards a reprobate judge who could be bribed, and often with astonishing ease

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reprobate

2 of 3

noun

as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person a program for rehabilitating hard-core reprobates and turning them into hard-working, law-abiding citizens

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reprobate

3 of 3

verb

ˈre-prə-ˌbāt How to pronounce reprobate (audio)
1
as in to reject
to be unwilling to grant the board will most likely reprobate the request for parole

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to without hesitation she reprobated such an indecent idea

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to denounce
to declare to be morally wrong or evil spent much of her talk reprobating the callous indifference of a materialistic society to the suffering of people in the third world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb reprobate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reprobate are censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, and reprehend. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

When would censure be a good substitute for reprobate?

The words censure and reprobate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When could condemn be used to replace reprobate?

The synonyms condemn and reprobate are sometimes interchangeable, but condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

Where would criticize be a reasonable alternative to reprobate?

The words criticize and reprobate can be used in similar contexts, but criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

How are the words denounce and condemn related as synonyms of reprobate?

Denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When might reprehend be a better fit than reprobate?

While in some cases nearly identical to reprobate, reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

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 reprobate
Adjective
Batiste is not a reprobate minstrel like late-night regular Lil Nas X; yet the weakness of both is held in equivalent esteem by the cultural mainstream. — Armond White, National Review, 6 Apr. 2022 For reference, consider the late, reprobate Southwest Conference. — Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 13 Jan. 2020
Noun
That pair of reprobates retired from politics due to ill health. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025 Like many of Anderson’s protagonists, Gustave is a reprobate of the first order, romancing old ladies for their fortunes and such. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Verb
Gasoline is dirty, smelly, toxic, and environmentally reprobate. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reprobate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprobate
  1. corrupt
  2. villain
  3. reject
  4. refuse
  5. denounce
  6. degraded
  7. brute
  8. deny
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Democrats are strongly opposed to the kind of corrupt authoritarian government that Republicans seem unwilling to even speak out against.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The policy aims to make cadres more disciplined, effective and less corrupt.
    — KANIS LEUNG, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Noun
  • Still, this villain’s origin story works better as a showcase for effects than anything tragic.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Directed by Grammy Award-winning filmmaker James Mackel, the visual is three-and-a-half minutes of spy stuff, our hero, dressed to impress, making short work of the many villains who lurk in her hotel.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of villain
Verb
  • But right-wing parties that would need to be part of his coalition could reject that option.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Human Rights Watch said those expulsions amounted to war crimes, a charge that Israel rejects.
    — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of reject
Verb
  • Officers said Marvin repeatedly refused instructions to move out of the robot's path.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Others seemed meek, with downcast eyes that refused to meet the camera.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of refuse
Verb
  • Omar has denounced the investigations as a politically motivated conspiracy against her, and used it to urge supporters to donate to her reelection campaign.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • That backstory could make his refusal to denounce the ad a more enduring political problem for him.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of denounce
Adjective
  • Design choices previously thought to boost power, such as widening the gap between electrodes, actually degraded performance under true operating conditions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Initially, Pike’s attorneys and several death penalty experts raised the possibility that the drugs may have been too old or degraded to work as intended.
    — Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of degraded
Noun
  • Most sportsmen wonder how any whitetail bucks, let alone a brute such as Kontras’, could have been so easily patterned.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The show’s depiction of Hugh as a family man has been much more sympathetic than the book’s description of him as a power-hungry brute.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of brute
Verb
  • The brothers, through their spokesmen, denied the allegations.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The two sides have clashed mightily over data centers, which are broadly unpopular with the public and which the No campaign says could make a bid for the streamlined permitting process, something the Yes side strenuously denies.
    — Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of deny

Browse Nearby Words

reproachingly
reprobate
reprobated
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Cite this Entry

“Reprobate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprobate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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