SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
reproach
verb
To express disappointment or blame for someone's behavior.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Express blame or disappointment
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topReproach often conveys disappointment as well as criticism. Chide is usually milder, and censure can be formal public condemnation.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See reproach in use
She reproached her colleague for leaving the door unlocked.
A teammate chose to reproach the volunteer for breaking a promise to help with the evening inventory, explaining why the absence had been disappointing.
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