SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
admonish
verb
To warn, advise firmly, or express disapproval of someone's conduct.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Express firm disapproval
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topRebuke and reprimand can be stronger or more formal than admonish.
Warn or advise firmly
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topCounsel and advise do not necessarily carry the warning or disapproval in admonish.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See admonish in use
The instructor had to admonish the group for interrupting.
The equipment coordinator had to admonish a volunteer who repeatedly returned rechargeable lamps without completing the agreed preparation for the next borrower.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license