rebuke
verb
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Definition of rebuke
(Entry 1 of 2)
rebuke
nounDefinition of rebuke (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for rebuke
Synonyms: Verb
admonish, chide, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off
Synonyms: Noun
censure, commination, condemnation, denunciation, excoriation, objurgation, reprimand, reproach, reproof, riot act, stricture
Antonyms: Noun
citation, commendation, endorsement (also indorsement)
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Examples of rebuke in a Sentence
Verb
the father was forced to rebuke his son for the spendthrift ways he had adopted since arriving at college strongly rebuked the girl for playing with matchesNoun
delivered a stinging rebuke to the Congress, calling for an end to backstabbing and arguing
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
North Carolina Democrats and voting rights advocates are weighing last-minute challenges to the state's congressional voting maps after a three-judge panel rebuked extreme partisan gerrymandering in the state. — Jane C. Timm, NBC News, "Democrats eye move against GOP congressional gerrymandering in North Carolina," 4 Sep. 2019 As a disciplined force, the police are not allowed to comment on public policies, let alone rebuke their superior. — The Economist, "Protesters are fighting for an open society," 20 Aug. 2019 One glimpse came in February, when Trump publicly rebuked Lighthizer during an Oval Office meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. — Damian Paletta, Washington Post, "Trump is increasingly relying on himself — not his aides — in trade war with China," 6 Aug. 2019 Alienated from her fellow Handmaids, rebuked by Aunt Lydia, and facing the certainty that her unborn child will be taken from her, Ofmatthew reaches a breaking point. — Emma Dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Ashleigh LaThrop on That Shocking Ofmatthew Twist in The Handmaid's Tale Episode 8," 12 July 2019 One of those testifying, author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates, easily unpacked and rebuked McConnell's argument. — Graeme Mcmillan, WIRED, "While You Were Offline: The President Is Running for President, FYI," 23 June 2019 When a book is rebuked, the rebuke is usually nothing more than a quick little jab with the needle, administered in the midst of therapeutic compliments. — Elizabeth Hardwick, Harper's magazine, "Literary Failure," 10 June 2019 As Shaheen and all of the Democratic establishment backed Clinton in 2016, they were rebuked by Sanders supporters. — James Pindell, BostonGlobe.com, "In New Hampshire, can lightning strike twice for a liberal like Bernie Sanders?," 11 Aug. 2019 Despite his yearslong history of racist remarks, Mr. King was rebuked by Republican leaders only recently. — Trip Gabriel, New York Times, "J.D. Scholten Almost Beat Steve King in 2018. Now He’s Running Again.," 5 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In a surprise result, the referendum was rejected, a stinging rebuke to his leadership that came just months before general elections for president and parliament. — Washington Post, "Mugabe’s anti-colonial rage fueled long reign over Zimbabwe," 8 Sep. 2019 By Steve Scherer | Reuters OTTAWA – Canadian Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s already tough re-election bid got tougher this week when the country’s ethics watchdog delivered a scathing rebuke less than 10 weeks before the October vote. — Reuters, The Mercury News, "Ethics breach again ensnares Trudeau ahead of vote," 15 Aug. 2019 The ruling is a major victory for Trump and his administration as well as an implicit rebuke to the judges on the East and West coasts who repeatedly issued nationwide orders to block the travel ban. — David G. Savage, latimes.com, "Supreme Court upholds Trump's travel ban, bolstering president's power to block new arrivals," 26 June 2018 And several people, including news anchors and politicians, called the president out with righteous rebukes to his comments. — Lisa Ryan, The Cut, "The Most Righteous Rebukes to Donald Trump’s Sh*thole Comment," 12 Jan. 2018 Tuesday’s elections brought a sweep of Democratic wins, a rebuke to the Trump administration, and historic victories for women, people of color, and LGBT people. — Jill Filipovic, Cosmopolitan, "Election Day Was More Than Just a Good Day for Democrats. It Was a Message.," 9 Nov. 2017 In a news release at the time, federal authorities in Detroit issued rebukes. — Freep.com, "This top cop ripped apart a Michigan town," 17 July 2019 But in the final three pages, the chief, joined by the court’s four liberal justices, issued a rebuke to Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary, who was responsible for the change. — S.m. | New York, The Economist, "The Supreme Court blocks a citizenship question on the 2020 census," 28 June 2019 Among the critics of the parade plans was actor Chris Evans (aka Captain America), who issued a scathing rebuke of event organizers on Twitter. — Steve Annear, BostonGlobe.com, "A group claims it’s planning a ‘Straight Pride Parade’ through Boston — but it’s not a done deal. Here’s what we know," 5 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rebuke.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for rebuke
rebuke
verb
English Language Learners Definition of rebuke
See the full definition for rebuke in the English Language Learners Dictionary