admonished
Americanadjective
-
rebuked or reminded of one’s duty, especially in a mild manner or with good will.
As she spoke, the employee looked down and kicked the dirt like an admonished child.
Tears came not from the admonished four-year-old who had destroyed the elaborate sandcastle, but from my dad, who had built it.
-
cautioned or advised against something; warned.
A previously admonished person entering the premises without the owner’s written authorization shall be deemed to be trespassing.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of admonished
First recorded in 1590–1600; admonish ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; admonish ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
Armstrong, crypto’s highest-profile advocate on the Hill, admonished the senator for changes she was pushing that could have hit the brakes on Coinbase’s ability to pay interest-like rewards on digital tokens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Keaton reportedly confronted the teenage fans and admonished them during the game.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Yitzhak Rabin admonished his country to “fight terrorism as if there’s no peace process, and work to achieve peace as if there’s no terror.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Connolly has been admonished three times by the California Commission on Judicial Performance, most recently in 2021, for two incidents.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
When Mom saw Quentin, she admonished me for being heartless and cruel to the poor boy.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
