censure
Americannoun
-
strong or vehement expression of disapproval.
The newspapers were unanimous in their censure of the tax proposal.
- Synonyms:
- animadversion, stricture, reprimand, rebuke, reprehension, reproach, reproof, condemnation
- Antonyms:
- praise
-
an official reprimand, as by a legislative body of one of its members.
- Antonyms:
- praise
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Usage
What does censure mean? Censure is passionate or intense criticism, as in Many countries were united in their censure of the nation responsible for the nuclear disaster. Censure can also refer to an official condemnation or reprimand, especially by a legislative body to one of its members, as in The lawyer’s terrible conduct earned him a censure from the judge. As a verb, censure means to intensely and harshly criticize something, as in The governor was censured by the media for his incredibly poor handling of the state’s hurricane response. Censure could be confused with the similarly spelled words censer, censor, and sensor. A censer is a container that holds burning incense. A censor is a person who looks for unacceptable or immoral material in media or creative works. A sensor is a device that sends a signal in reaction to environmental conditions.Example: The musician faced intense censure from other artists after stealing melodies and their career never recovered from the backlash.
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- censureless adjective
- censurer noun
- miscensure verb
- precensure verb (used with object)
- procensure adjective
- supercensure noun
- uncensured adjective
- uncensuring adjective
Etymology
Origin of censure
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cēnsūra censor's office, assessment, equivalent to cēns ( us ) past participle of cēnsēre ( censor ) + -ūra -ure
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.
Fine has not appeared fearful of censure or any loss of his committee assignments.
From Salon
We failed to appreciate the degree to which the two great biblical faiths, with their elevation of honesty and industry and censure of theft, enabled capital economies to develop in the 17th century.
Ruth Luque, one of the lawmakers who backed the censure measures, said she wanted a leader who would put public interest and security first.
From BBC
The secretary issued a “letter of censure” against Sen. Kelly “for conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline in the armed forces and conduct unbecoming an officer.”
Kelly filed a lawsuit in January that accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of violating his First Amendment rights by moving to formally censure him and demote him over the video.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
