reprimand
1 of 2noun
rep·ri·mand ˈre-prə-ˌmand 
: a severe or formal reproof
reprimand
2 of 2verb
reprimanded; reprimanding; reprimands
transitive verb
: to reprove sharply or censure formally usually from a position of authority
Synonyms
Noun
- censure
- commination
- condemnation
- denunciation
- excoriation
- objurgation
- rebuke
- reproach
- reproof
- riot act
- stricture
Verb
- baste
- bawl out
- berate
- call down
- castigate
- chastise
- chew out
- dress down
- flay
- hammer
- jaw
- keelhaul
- lambaste
- lambast
- lecture
- rag
- rail (at or against)
- rant (at)
- rate
- ream (out)
- rebuke
- reproach
- scold
- score
- tongue-lash
- upbraid
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun while reviewing the troops, the officer delivered a curt reprimand to one of the soldiers Verb The soldiers were severely reprimanded. reprimanded the summer intern for her constant tardiness
Recent Examples on the Web
BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Always a reprimand for being too sensitive or for prioritizing kindness over getting ahead. Odell Mitchell Iii, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 Other disciplinary action includes a public or private reprimand, temporary or permanent privilege to participate in Academy events, temporary or permanent loss of award eligibility and also possible revocation of an Academy award. Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2022 The Academy can take less drastic measures, too, including private or public reprimand, and temporary or permanent loss of eligibility for future Oscars. Ellen Gamerman And Joe Flint, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2022 Estimates of the receipts’ value ranged from $85 to $300, according to the reprimand. Michael Wetzel The Decatur Daily, al, 5 June 2022 The individual employee in this case could be subject to reprimand by your company. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 10 May 2022 When President Biden ordered a drone strike against alleged ISIS-K members that instead killed an aid worker and his family, the reaction in those same quarters amounted to barely a reprimand. A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 21 Sep. 2021 The Review Board exonerated one officer and reduced the punishment for another to a reprimand. Gina Barton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2021 Bytal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2022 But then, on Monday night, Carroll’s school board voted 3-2 to overturn the administration’s decision and formally reprimand Farah, who was named Johnson’s 2021 teacher of the year. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 8 Oct. 2021 The Big 12 issued the fine and reprimand in accordance with conference sportsmanship and ethical conduct policies. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Feb. 2022 If youngsters got into mischief, any parent on the block was liable to reprimand them. Mary Grace Keller, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2022 In addition to the fine, board also voted unanimously to reprimand the medical license of the doctor, Marc D. Legris, and ordered him to take a course in ethics and to practice in a supervised office setting. Kate Farrish, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2022 Gold medal favorite Kalina Valieva finished her disastrous final performance at Thursday’s Olympics and skated over to the edge of the rink, where her Russian Olympic Committee coach began to reprimand her. Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2022 Lawmakers can reprimand and censure members with a majority vote, or expel them with a 2/3 vote, according to Senate rules. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2022 Certainly Beijing will not reprimand him for his treatment of dissidents. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2022 See More
Noun
Catholic Medical Center gave Baribeau a letter of reprimand in late January 2013. BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Always a reprimand for being too sensitive or for prioritizing kindness over getting ahead. Odell Mitchell Iii, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 Other disciplinary action includes a public or private reprimand, temporary or permanent privilege to participate in Academy events, temporary or permanent loss of award eligibility and also possible revocation of an Academy award. Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2022 The Academy can take less drastic measures, too, including private or public reprimand, and temporary or permanent loss of eligibility for future Oscars. Ellen Gamerman And Joe Flint, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2022 Estimates of the receipts’ value ranged from $85 to $300, according to the reprimand. Michael Wetzel The Decatur Daily, al, 5 June 2022 The individual employee in this case could be subject to reprimand by your company. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 10 May 2022 When President Biden ordered a drone strike against alleged ISIS-K members that instead killed an aid worker and his family, the reaction in those same quarters amounted to barely a reprimand. A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 21 Sep. 2021 The Review Board exonerated one officer and reduced the punishment for another to a reprimand. Gina Barton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2021 Verb
The Senate rules official also scrapped a provision intended to reprimand drug companies that raise the prices of some prescription drugs faster than inflation for patients with private insurance. Bytal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2022 But then, on Monday night, Carroll’s school board voted 3-2 to overturn the administration’s decision and formally reprimand Farah, who was named Johnson’s 2021 teacher of the year. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 8 Oct. 2021 The Big 12 issued the fine and reprimand in accordance with conference sportsmanship and ethical conduct policies. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Feb. 2022 If youngsters got into mischief, any parent on the block was liable to reprimand them. Mary Grace Keller, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2022 In addition to the fine, board also voted unanimously to reprimand the medical license of the doctor, Marc D. Legris, and ordered him to take a course in ethics and to practice in a supervised office setting. Kate Farrish, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2022 Gold medal favorite Kalina Valieva finished her disastrous final performance at Thursday’s Olympics and skated over to the edge of the rink, where her Russian Olympic Committee coach began to reprimand her. Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2022 Lawmakers can reprimand and censure members with a majority vote, or expel them with a 2/3 vote, according to Senate rules. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2022 Certainly Beijing will not reprimand him for his treatment of dissidents. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
French réprimande, from Latin reprimenda, feminine of reprimendus, gerundive of reprimere to check — more at repress
First Known Use
Noun
1636, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1681, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
reprimand 1 of 2
noun
rep·ri·mand ˈre-prə-ˌmand
: a severe or formal criticism : censure
reprimand
2 of 2verb
reprimanded; reprimanding
: to criticize (a person) severely or formally
reprimand 1 of 2
noun
as in condemnation
an often public or formal expression of disapproval while reviewing the troops, the officer delivered a curt reprimand to one of the soldiers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- condemnation
- censure
- rebuke
- punishment
- denunciation
- reproof
- criticism
- excoriation
- reproach
- admonishment
- lecture
- commination
- riot act
- stricture
- scolding
- chastisement
- castigation
- admonition
- remonstrance
- objurgation
- damnation
- lesson
- tongue-lashing
- talking-to
- dressing-down
- lash
- disparagement
- belittlement
- depreciation
- rap
- deprecation
- pan
- devil
- business
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- commendation
- citation
- endorsement
- indorsement
- praise
- honor
- sanction
- tribute
- approval
- acclamation
- eulogy
- blessing
- encomium
- panegyric
- plaudit(s)
reprimand
2 of 2verb
1
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings reprimanded the summer intern for her constant tardiness Synonyms & Similar Words
- scold
- lecture
- blame
- criticize
- rebuke
- admonish
- chastise
- upbraid
- berate
- reproach
- keelhaul
- rag
- bawl out
- call down
- dress down
- castigate
- jaw
- fault
- attack
- rate
- lambaste
- flay
- chew out
- censure
- mock
- score
- lambast
- lay into
- hammer
- tongue-lash
- chide
- baste
- rant (at)
- ream (out)
- take to task
- read the riot act (to)
- condemn
- reprove
- rail (at or against)
- lash
- vituperate
- reprehend
- harangue
- slam
- ridicule
- crucify
- abuse
- excoriate
- denounce
- knock
- revile
- disparage
- scorn
- assail
- blast
- scourge
- pan
- belittle
- diss
- bad-mouth
- scoff
- remonstrate (with)
- dis
- lace (into)
- put down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sanction
- approve
- endorse
- indorse
- praise
- laud
- extol
- extoll
2
as in to admonish
to criticize (someone) usually gently so as to correct a fault reprimanded the student for using the lax grammar and punctuation of text messaging in a term paper Synonyms & Similar Words
- admonish
- scold
- blame
- criticize
- rebuke
- chide
- reproach
- fault
- reprove
- get after
- censure
- get on
- mock
- condemn
- tick off
- upbraid
- berate
- lecture
- harangue
- burn one's ears
- attack
- lash
- reprehend
- rate
- ridicule
- dress down
- castigate
- jaw
- keelhaul
- crucify
- excoriate
- minimize
- denounce
- abuse
- flay
- chew out
- knock
- lambast
- score
- disparage
- scorn
- assail
- slam
- pan
- diss
- belittle
- bad-mouth
- lambaste
- scoff
- blast
- deprecate
- deride
- rail (at or against)
- dis
- put down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approve
- sanction
- okay
- endorse
- indorse
- praise
- salute
- applaud
- hail
- laud
- extol
- OK
- tout
- extoll
3
as in to censure
to express public or formal disapproval of the president was forced to reprimand the general for publicly voicing his disagreements with the nation's foreign policy Synonyms & Similar Words
- censure
- punish
- condemn
- scold
- denounce
- rebuke
- criticize
- admonish
- reproach
- reprove
- chastise
- objurgate
- call to account
- bring to account
- upbraid
- berate
- keelhaul
- lecture
- castigate
- bawl out
- rag
- tell off
- dress down
- cut up
- jaw
- disparage
- belittle
- gibbet
- chew out
- lambaste
- lambast
- flay
- rate
- score
- deprecate
- depreciate
- rail (at or against)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- commend
- endorse
- honor
- cite
- indorse
- applaud
- praise
- approve
- sanction
- hail
- acclaim
- bless
- laud
- eulogize
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of reprimand are admonish, chide, rebuke, reproach, and reprove. While all these words mean "to criticize adversely," reprimand implies a severe, formal, often public or official rebuke.
reprimanded by the ethics committee
The synonyms admonish and reprimand are sometimes interchangeable, but admonish suggests earnest or friendly warning and counsel.
admonished by my parents to control expenses
Although the words rebuke and reprimand have much in common, rebuke suggests a sharp or stern reproof.
the papal letter rebuked dissenting clerics
Both reproach and chide suggest displeasure or disappointment expressed in mild reproof or scolding.
reproached him for tardiness
chided by their mother for untidiness
The meanings of reprove and reprimand largely overlap; however, reprove implies an often kindly intent to correct a fault.
gently reproved my table manners