upbraid

[uhp-breyd]

verb (used with object)

1. to find fault with or reproach severely; censure.

   The military tribunal upbraided the soldier for his cowardice.

   Synonyms: blame, reprove

2. (of things) to bring reproach on; serve as a reproach to.

verb (used without object)

1. Archaic.,  to utter reproaches.

upbraid

/ ʌpˈbreɪd /

verb

1. to reprove or reproach angrily

2. to find fault with

Other Word Forms

• upbraider noun
• unupbraided adjective
• upbraiding noun
• upbraidingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of upbraid¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English upbrēdan to adduce as a fault. See up-, braid

Word History and Origins

Origin of upbraid¹

Old English upbregdan; related to Danish bebreide; see _up , _braid

Synonym Study

See reprimand.

Example Sentences

Following an uproar, that action was reversed within a day, but it raised suspicions that it was undertaken to punish Mainers for their Democratic governor’s public upbraiding of Trump at a Washington meeting.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Even as the ex-president got a bond reduced in New York, Judge Juan M. Merchan set a trial date in the hush money case, upbraided the defense and imposed a gag order.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In a tense phone call on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III upbraided his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, over Israel’s deadly attack on a humanitarian food convoy in Gaza earlier this week.

Read more on New York Times

That sort of upbraiding from a judge before trial has even begun should chill any trial lawyer to the bone.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The incidents in Jenin are not the first time Israeli soldiers have been upbraided for bad behaviour filmed and posted on social media recently.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• admonish 
• berate 
• castigate 
• chastise 
• chide 
• reprimand 
• reproach