admonish

[ad-mon-ish]

See more synonyms for admonish on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner: The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.
to urge to a duty; remind: to admonish them about their obligations.

Origin of admonish

1275–1325; late Middle English admonish, amonesche, admonesse, amoness, Middle English a(d)monest (with -t later taken as past participle suffix) < Anglo-French, Old French amonester < Vulgar Latin *admonestāre, apparently derivative of Latin admonēre to remind, give advice to (source of -est- uncertain), equivalent to ad- ad- + monēre to remind, warn

Related formsad·mon·ish·er, nounad·mon·ish·ing·ly, adverbad·mon·ish·ment, nounpre·ad·mon·ish, verb (used with object)un·ad·mon·ished, adjective

Synonyms for admonish

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2. rebuke, censure, upbraid.

Synonym study

1. See warn. 2. See reprimand.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for admonish

exhort, enjoin, scold, chide, berate, warn, upbraid, censure, rebuke, reprimand, advise, ding, growl, notice, counsel, forewarn, hoist, rap, glue, reprove

Examples from the Web for admonish

Contemporary Examples of admonish

Beard does admonish the tendency of both academics and popular authors to present speculation as historical truth.
The Classics are Dead! Long Live the Classics! Mary Beard’s New Book
Nick Romeo
September 20, 2013
He even remembered to thank the voters and admonish cellphone companies for fleecing his fans.
Mohammed Assaf: From Underdog to Idol
Maysoon Zayid
June 25, 2013
Betty wastes no time in yanking Sally away from the table to admonish her.
A Mother's Struggles with Her Teen
Hannah Seligson
September 8, 2010
When it came to politics, Robbins and Sarandon tended to espouse and admonish rather than try to persuade.
Hollywood's Liberal Heartbreak
Lloyd Grove
January 3, 2010

Historical Examples of admonish

The Sheikh is come to admonish Khalid, not to return his visit.
The Book of Khalid
Ameen Rihani
I would address you frankly and admonish you to go no more into such places.
An Outcast
F. Colburn Adams
Let him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what is improper!
The Dhammapada
Unknown
But does not the past admonish those of us who are Preachers and Teachers?
Broken Bread
Thomas Champness
That means: we teach in vain, we admonish in vain; the world has no desire to be better.
Commentary on Genesis, Vol. II
Martin Luther

British Dictionary definitions for admonish

admonish

verb (tr)

to reprove firmly but not harshly
to advise to do or against doing something; warn; caution

Derived Formsadmonisher or admonitor, nounadmonition (ˌædməˈnɪʃən), nounadmonitory, adjective

Word Origin for admonish

C14: via Old French from Vulgar Latin admonestāre (unattested), from Latin admonēre to put one in mind of, from monēre to advise

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for admonish

mid-14c., amonesten "remind, urge, exhort, warn, give warning," from Old French amonester (12c.) "urge, encourage, warn," from Vulgar Latin *admonestare, from Latin admonere "bring to mind, remind, suggest;" also "warn, advise, urge," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + monere "advise, warn" (see monitor (n.)).

The -d- was restored on Latin model. The ending was influenced by words in -ish (e.g. astonish, abolish). Related: Admonished; admonishing.