rebuke
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
verb
noun
Related Words
See reproach.
Other Word Forms
- rebukable adjective
- rebuker noun
- rebukingly adverb
- unrebukable adjective
- unrebuked adjective
Etymology
Origin of rebuke
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English rebuken (verb), from Anglo-French rebuker ( Old French rebuchier ) “to beat back,” equivalent to re- re- + bucher “to beat, strike,” from Germanic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Sora discontinuation is a rebuke to OpenAI’s previous strategy, which involved a dizzying array of product launches that created a complicated organizational structure and competing priorities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
The unusual probe drew a sharp rebuke from California Atty.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026
Qatar called the attack "dangerous and irresponsible", while the United Arab Emirates offered a rare rebuke, calling it a "dangerous escalation".
From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026
Under its ownership, Prospect Medical Holdings, a hospital chain, faced plummeting quality metrics and a bipartisan rebuke from a U.S.
From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026
Even if Mrs. Kinnebrew had smiled when she said it, Naomi felt the rebuke.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
