admonition

American  

[ad-muh-nish-uhn] / ˌæd məˈnɪʃ ən /

Also admonishment

noun

• admonitions
  plural

1. 

   an act of admonishing.

2. counsel, advice, or caution.

3. a gentle reproof.

4. a warning or reproof given by an ecclesiastical authority.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preadmonition
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• admonitions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of admonition

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin admonitiōn- (stem of admonitiō ); see ad-, monition; replacing late Middle English amonicioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin; see admonish

Explanation

Bringing a skateboard to school is a great way to get an admonition from a teacher not to ride it down the halls. An admonition is advice with a hint of scolding, a warning not to do something. When you're cautioned or warned about some mistake you might be just about to make, or some looming danger, you're receiving an admonition. The strength and tone of an admonition determine whether it's a gentle, polite suggestion or more of a stern warning. In Scotland, an admonition is an official legal term that means a verbal punishment for someone who's been found guilty but set free.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

admonition admonitions

"You have no previous convictions and I have taken the view that admonition is appropriate."

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

When the packages arrived, I pried open a pack and popped the top mint into my mouth, despite my wife’s admonition, “Are you insane?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

The admonition was met with silence in the courtroom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026

Jessica Lautz, vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors, offers this admonition to homeowners selling for the first time in years: “It’s a very different housing market today.”

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 30, 2025

My stepfather’s final admonition to me went unheeded as I absolved myself of all responsibility and stayed out of the house as much as possible, thus avoiding the emotional impact of watching Mommy suffer.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

Given the IRS’s guidance and admonitions, tax professionals said, most taxpayers didn’t roll the dice on that literal reading.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

His frequent admonitions on social media saying “Stay Tuned” or “Thank you for your attention to this matter” did nothing to negate that perception.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2025

Criminologists tend to speak in caveats, with warning of reversion to the mean and admonitions to wait for better data, but even they must admit: These are some eye-catching numbers.

From Slate ● May 7, 2025

Despite decades of admonitions from nutritionists and environmentalists to “eat locally, think globally,” our collective diets are more international than ever.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 26, 2024

There might be another adjustment of his collar, another gift for Shad, more admonitions about his “comp’ny manners,” but, finally, they would let him go.

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

Related Words

• rebuke
• reprimand