REPROACHED Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

reproached

verb

past tense of reproach

as in scolded

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings our neighbor loudly reproached us for tromping through his yard

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as in admonished

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

as in censured

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 reproached Jean’s mama reproached her for not having been more careful and babied Wole, ordering him to remove his T-shirt and retrieving an aloe lotion, telling him to stretch out on the couch and instructing Jean to spread it over the tender areas. — David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025 During her tenure, she was openly critiqued for her lack of political knowledge and reproached for her Christian-fundamentalist views on evolution. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reproached

Verb

District of Columbia Judge Ana Reyes angrily scolded government attorneys in a hearing to block the government from cutting down more trees at East Potomac Golf Course.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Eventually, all charges were dropped days before trial after Perry was finally given the full, unredacted grand jury transcripts and scolded prosecutors for violating the inherent trust placed in the office.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of scolded

Verb

The restrictions emerged just days after Trump admonished Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the press, calling on the leader to step down and hold wartime elections.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 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

Definition of admonished

Verb

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
Rather than being censured for the debacle, however, Li was elevated by Xi to the top ranks of the Politburo Standing Committee in 2022 and made state premier in 2023.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of censured

Verb

Earhart lectured at the school before embarking on her final flight.

— News Editor, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Luann patiently attempts to explain that the women don’t like being lectured to about their business affairs, only for Vicki to abruptly answer a phone call mid-conversation.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of lectured

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 reprimanded

Verb

Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray said in a statement the paper was relieved that Levine received medical care and is safe, but denounced the violence against her.

— Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Press freedom groups and opposition parties, however, denounced the move against Halk TV, calling it yet another step by the government to silence opposition voices.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of denounced

Verb

The city's medical examiner, Charles Norris, blamed the federal government's practice of adding toxic substances to industrial alcohol, including those involving methyl alcohol, also known as methanol, which can cause blindness and death.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Other adolescents have also suffered life-changing injuries blamed on police weaponry during protests.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of blamed

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reproachable

reproached

reproacher

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“Reproached.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproached. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of reproached

verb

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