rebuke
Americanverb (used with object)
-
rebukes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rebuked,
past participle, past
-
rebuking
present participle
noun
-
rebukes
plural
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See reproach.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rebukesimple
-
rebukessimple
-
have rebukedperfect
-
has rebukedperfect
-
am rebukingprogressive
-
are rebukingprogressive
-
is rebukingprogressive
-
have been rebukingperfect progressive
-
has been rebukingperfect progressive
Past
-
rebukedsimple
-
had rebukedperfect
-
was rebukingprogressive
-
were rebukingprogressive
-
had been rebukingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rebuke
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English rebuken (verb), from Anglo-French rebuker ( Old French rebuchier ) “to beat back,” equivalent to re- re- + bucher “to beat, strike,” from Germanic
Explanation
If you receive a rebuke, it means that you have been reprimanded, or scolded. You're sure to get a rebuke if you forget to do your math homework four days in a row. The word rebuke can be a verb, meaning to sternly reprimand or scold, but it can also be a noun, because a rebuke is the result of being scolded. The root comes from the Old French rebuchier and means "to hack down," or "beat back." A rebuke, then, is meant to be critical and to chide — in today's terms, a rebuke is verbal smack-down!
Vocabulary lists containing rebuke
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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.
See Examples For:
It was a funny rebuke to the force-fed notion that sports champions are these locked-in super computers with scrupulous attention to detail.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
“Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
The menu, embracing its red-hued simplicity, almost reads as a rebuke to its competitors.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
That visit sparked fury in China and South Korea and even a rare rebuke from close ally the United States.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Thomas knew the rebuke should’ve stung, but his mind was too preoccupied.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
But such sharp rebukes may well suggest the former first minister's standing in the party has shrunk.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Public rebukes followed Hegseth’s decision last month to effectively fire Gen. Chris Donahue, a respected four-star commander who came up the ranks through the special forces.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
He said Muscat had not fallen out of favour with Washington, despite the rebukes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
Canadian authorities tripled streaming companies’ required financial contributions, drawing rebukes from U.S. lobbying groups representing Hollywood and tech companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
When Phillip has exhausted his agenda of rebukes, Joan complains about the condition of the ladies’ room and I throw in my two bits about the vacuum cleaner.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
In plain and punchy prose, he at times rebuked his fellow justices for not showing sufficient deference to the president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
They will also be the first under new Federal Reserve boss Kevin Warsh after he last month replaced Jerome Powell, who was constantly rebuked by Trump for not cutting interest rates enough.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
Afterwards, Korpatsch rebuked the suggestion by 32nd seed Wang that she was "not a fair player".
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Heath and his siblings were rebuked by their neighbors, Heath said, to the point that his brother, Phil, told the township attorney he was thinking about resigning as supervisor.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026
His sniggers became uncontrollable, his body jumped and Piggy rebuked him with dignity.
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
In March, Roberts issued a rare statement rebuking those impeachment calls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 31, 2025
At its peak, there were over 6,000 Shakers, joining Ann in rebuking the gruesome, incalculable evils of war and preaching moral generosity.
From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2025
“Thank you for this exhausting dressing down of the probation department,” Preven said last Tuesday after the supervisors wrapped up rebuking officials for paltry programming inside juvenile halls.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025
His stand-up routine included jokes about dating, autism and Tourette’s, and he got extra laughs after rebuking head judge Simon Cowell.
From BBC ● May 25, 2024
You are spoiled girls, she twinkled, as if rebuking a kitten.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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.
