Synonyms

admonish

American

[ad-mon-ish] / ædˈmɒn ɪʃ /

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.

Synonyms:

upbraid, censure, rebuke
to urge to a duty; remind.

to admonish them about their obligations.

admonish British

/ ˌædməˈnɪʃən, ədˈmɒnɪʃ /

verb

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

"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

Related Words

See warn. See reprimand.

Other Word Forms

admonisher noun
admonishingly adverb
admonishment noun
admonition noun
admonitory adjective
preadmonish verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of admonish

First recorded in 1275–1325; late Middle English admonish, amonesche, admonesse, amoness, Middle English a(d)monest (with -t later taken as past participle suffix), from Anglo-French, Old French amonester, from Vulgar Latin admonestāre (unrecorded), apparently derivative of Latin admonēre “to remind, give advice to” (source of -est- is uncertain), equivalent to ad- ad- ( def. ) + monēre “to remind, warn”; monitor ( def. )

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.

Ratepayers routinely admonish state utility regulators for their high bills at public meetings.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Savage went on to empower our community to admonish naysayers of queer party-going, community enrichment, and quality time — however we choose to define those terms.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2025

But Mr Costello's testimony was contradicted by his own emails, and in an unusual and chaotic moment, a furious Justice Merchan cleared the courtroom so he could admonish Costello about his behaviour on the stand.

From BBC • May 30, 2024

Justice Juan Merchan had to admonish Trump for “cursing audibly” and “shaking his head visually.”

From Slate • May 11, 2024

I shouldn’t put her off, I admonish myself.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023