rebuke
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.a serious and strong statement that tells someone their behavior was wrong.
n.a formal expression of sharp disapproval or criticism, typically delivered by an authority figure.
Simple“The manager's public rebuke left the employee feeling embarrassed and discouraged.”
In context“The diplomat’s comments were seen as a sharp rebuke to the government’s recent policy changes regarding international trade.”
UsageOften follows the verbs 'deliver', 'issue', or 'receive'.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
v.to tell someone in a very serious way that you do not like what they did.
v.to express sharp, stern disapproval of someone's actions; to reprimand formally.
Simple“The teacher rebuked the students for their rude behavior during the assembly.”
In context“The board of directors rebuked the CEO for failing to disclose the company's financial losses to the shareholders.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object, often followed by 'for' and a gerund or noun phrase.
“His comments are a rare rebuke and follow a days-long siege of a Palestinian-American family’s home by Israeli settlers in the village of Qusra.”
“Lawyer Gavin Tighe of Gardiner, Roberts LLP says, “It is a very firm rebuke by the court, but the important part is there always are different views of legal questions.”
From Middle English rebuken, from Anglo-Norman rebuker (“to beat back, repel”), from re- + Old French buker, buchier, buschier (“to strike, hack down, chop”), from busche (“wood”), from Vulgar Latin busca (“wood, grove”), from Frankish busk (“grove”), from Proto-Germanic buskaz (“bush”); equivalent to re- + bush.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.