transitive verb

• Reprimand or censure (someone)

  ‘he was reproved for obscenity’

  More example sentences

  • ‘“Don't be childish, Hilary,” he reproved mildly’
  • ‘He fixed her with a mildly reproving glance which diluted quickly into a fond grin.’
  • ‘Growing up bilingual in English and German, Hobsbawm picked up three or four other languages along the way (he reproves monoglot historians for their provincialism).’
  • ‘He is ‘always joking with her,’ never reproves her, even ‘babies her’ much of the time.’
  • ‘Indeed, the Church reproves every form of persecution against whomsoever it may be directed.’
  • ‘The owners of one Goff house reproved gossiping neighbours by posting a sign, ‘We don't like your house either’.’
  • ‘I turned out of Father's office, not caring if he reproved me or not.’
  • ‘I reproved him, which rewarded me only with a glare and a longer drink.’
  • ‘Edie reproved herself bitterly for hugging Walter the way she had, earlier.’
  • ‘Whoever is unpunctual deserves that other people should reprove him for being unpunctual.’
  • ‘Though sympathetic toward General Tang, Li said he still felt compelled to criticize General Tang for not obeying the moral principles of the military to never reprove superior officers.’
  • ‘There was no discipline to impose itself on this clowning, and no parental authority to reprove it.’
  • ‘Our repeated failure to reprove and adequately rebuke heresy calls into serious question our theological system.’
  • ‘The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion.’
  • ‘Emma makes a joke to Mr Knightley about their being ‘so much brother and sister’, but he reproves and corrects her in a way that is more fatherly than anything her own fretful parent can manage.’
  • ‘His tone was gently reproving, but I was determined not to let him talk me down.’
  • ‘Now, however, he was looking straight at her, eyes direct, face serious and tone reproving.’
  • ‘‘Mock not, mock not,’ he reproves, ‘ere you flout old ends any further, examine your consciences.’’
  • ‘John reproves what he perceives as the author's insolent comments and suggests bringing his angry feelings to God in prayer.’
  • ‘‘You always were far too impatient,’ Angelus reproved.’
  • ‘‘Mustn't be cruel to animals, my boy,’ he reproved, with both palms cradling the gleaming-orange face so that it hooked to his own faintly stern one.’

  Synonyms

  reprimand, rebuke, reproach, scold, admonish, remonstrate with, chastise, chide, upbraid, berate, take to task, pull up, castigate, lambast, read someone the Riot Act, give someone a piece of one's mind, haul over the coals, criticize, censure

  View synonyms