admonished

American  

[ad-mon-isht] / ædˈmɒn ɪʃt /

adjective

1. 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.

2. 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

1. the simple past tense and past participle of admonish.

Other Word Forms

• unadmonished adjective

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

At one point housewives were admonished not to shake their dust mops outdoors lest that contribute to smog.

From Los Angeles Times

Take a recent episode at a courthouse in Los Angeles when a judge admonished Meta Platforms executives after some members of Mark Zuckerberg’s entourage showed up wearing the company’s latest AI smart glasses.

From The Wall Street Journal

“This is very serious,” the judge reportedly admonished.

From The Wall Street Journal

When I admonished my 7 year-old for complaining too much during a particularly wonderful excursion, she retorted, “Daddy, complaining is my passion!”

From Los Angeles Times

An hour after police arrived, the watch commander admonished officers for failing that job.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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