admonish

[ ad-mon-ish ]

verb (used with object)

1. to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
2. to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner:

   The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.

   Synonyms: upbraid, censure, rebuke

3. to urge to a duty; remind:

   to admonish them about their obligations.

admonish

/ ˌædməˈnɪʃən; ədˈmɒnɪʃ /

verb

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

Derived Forms

• admonition, noun
• adˈmonitory, adjective
• adˈmonisher, noun

Other Words From

• ad·mon·ish·er noun
• ad·mon·ish·ing·ly adverb
• ad·mon·ish·ment noun
• pre·ad·mon·ish verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of admonish¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of admonish¹

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

Synonym Study

See warn. See reprimand.

Example Sentences

Norman was admonished by Australian Olympic officials for his role in the protest.

From Washington Post

Cheney, however, agreed with Pelosi’s decision to remove Jordan and Banks, admonishing both of them and McCarthy for their “disingenuous” rhetoric.

From Washington Post

Our school’s student-run newspaper published an in-depth analysis of the report, admonishing the council for its decision.

From MIT Technology Review

Dunn admonishes the woman, saying she has to pull over when stopped.

From Washington Post

Every Texan has been admonished countless times to “Remember the Alamo!”

From Washington Post

Beard does admonish the tendency of both academics and popular authors to present speculation as historical truth.

From The Daily Beast

He even remembered to thank the voters and admonish cellphone companies for fleecing his fans.

From The Daily Beast

Netanyahu used his U.N. speech to seeminly admonish the Obama administration for not having adopted his own red lines.

From The Daily Beast

Betty wastes no time in yanking Sally away from the table to admonish her.

From The Daily Beast

When it came to politics, Robbins and Sarandon tended to espouse and admonish rather than try to persuade.

From The Daily Beast

You must admonish him, John; a man of his principles, his pretended principles, is not suited for married life.

From Project Gutenberg

The factory had indeed become a charnel-house, it being useless for the chiefs to admonish their men to keep under cover.

From Project Gutenberg

The virgins admonish to walk in a spotless and pure conscience.

From Project Gutenberg

A true friend will admonish his erring brother, and if the erring brother has any sense at all he will thank his friend.

From Project Gutenberg

The woman kept one hand free to admonish him—by his beady eye he required it—and to tend a simmering pot.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advise
• berate
• censure
• chide
• enjoin
• exhort
• rebuke
• reprimand
• scold
• upbraid
• warn