reprimand
n.a formal or serious scolding from a person in a position of authority. It is usually a way to tell someone they did something wrong without firing them.
n.a formal or official scolding, typically issued by a superior to a subordinate for a specific fault or failure. Often used in professional or military contexts to maintain discipline without resorting to dismissal.
“He received a formal reprimand for being late.”
“The manager issued a written reprimand after the employee failed to follow safety protocols during the inspection.”
“While a verbal warning might suffice for minor infractions, a formal reprimand serves as a documented record of the employee's misconduct and can affect future promotions.”
“While shooting The Cowboys (1972) he reprimanded his star, John Wayne, in front of the entire cast and crew for calling “Action”.”
“Shortly after the president reprimanded Holmes, the White House invoked her children in a social media post further attacking the reporter.”
From French réprimande, from réprimer (“to repress”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.