1
as in admonishing
to criticize (someone) usually gently so as to correct a fault
my piano teacher often reproves me for slouching while playing, observing that good posture helps one play better
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reprimanding
to express public or formal disapproval of
the principal reproved the hockey team for their display of poor sportsmanship on the ice and ordered that a letter of apology be sent to the other school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disliking
to hold an unfavorable opinion of
the older generation has always reproved the younger generation's taste in music
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reproving
Verb
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When thinking of productivity, admonishing people to work harder won’t cut it.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025 -
Minaj responded by admonishing him and mentioning his past arrest for domestic violence against his mother.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dear James, My late mother’s second husband was pretty mean and made no bones about disliking me in his heyday.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
19 Aug. 2025
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What remained unclear is how much of a lasting boost China’s economy could get from the ingenuity of one start-up, or how much confidence the business community could derive from the sudden friendliness of a leader who has a reputation for distrusting and disliking the private sector.—
Li Yuan,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The inscriptions also reference El, a deity associated with the Abrahamic God, while censuring the ancient pagan goddess Ba`alat.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The reaction to Noack's viral Instagram post has been overwhelming, with many people criticizing her and her parenting style.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The dispute also drew in renowned rabblerouser Wack 100, who defended Adam22 while criticizing Styles’ stance.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Democrats have responded by condemning Kirk's assassination and all political violence, which has become increasingly common against members of both parties and individuals of all stripes.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tesla's world class at rejecting how things were done previously.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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The roughly 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 went on strike on August 4 after rejecting the company’s previous offer.—
Reuters 20 min ago,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This is likely to prevent the bloc from punishing other nations for doing business with Moscow, when the EU does so too — albeit at a far lower level than before the Ukraine war began in 2022.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
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But even this nod to forgiveness is relatively punishing, since the health refill freezes your character in a defenseless pose for a few seconds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hoffman, the lawmaker who was shot and wounded in June, and his family also issued a statement denouncing Kirk’s death.—
Mark Vancleave,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
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He was dismissed from the show that March after publicly denouncing series creator Chuck Lorre, and Kutcher was officially named as his replacement in May.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Reproving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproving. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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