reproach
Americanverb (used with object)
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reproaches,
present (3rd person singular)
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reproached,
past participle, past
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reproaching
present participle
noun
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reproaches
plural
-
blame or censure conveyed in disapproval.
a term of reproach.
- Synonyms:
- disapproval, condemnation, remonstrance, criticism, rebuke, reprehension
- Antonyms:
- praise
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an expression of upbraiding, censure, or reproof.
- Synonyms:
- disapproval, condemnation, remonstrance, criticism, rebuke, reprehension
- Antonyms:
- praise
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disgrace, discredit, or blame incurred.
to bring reproach on one's family.
- Antonyms:
- honor
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a cause or occasion of disgrace or discredit.
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Also called Improperia. Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church. the Reproaches. a series of antiphons sung in church on Good Friday, consisting of words addressed by Christ to His people, reminding them of His mercies and of their ingratitude.
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an object of scorn or contempt.
idioms
verb
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to impute blame to (a person) for an action or fault; rebuke
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archaic to bring disgrace or shame upon
noun
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the act of reproaching
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rebuke or censure; reproof
words of reproach
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disgrace or shame
to bring reproach upon one's family
-
something that causes or merits blame, rebuke, or disgrace
-
perfect; beyond criticism
Synonym Usage
Reproach, rebuke, scold, reprove imply calling one to account for something done or said. Reproach is censure (often about personal matters, obligations, and the like) given with an attitude of faultfinding and some intention of shaming: to reproach one for neglect. Rebuke suggests sharp or stern reproof given usually formally or officially and approaching reprimand in severity: He rebuked him strongly for laxness in his accounts. Scold suggests that censure is given at some length, harshly, and more or less abusively; it implies irritation, which may be with or without justification: to scold a boy for jaywalking. A word of related meaning, but suggesting a milder or more kindly censure, often intended to correct the fault in question, is reprove : to reprove one for inattention.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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reproachablenessnoun
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reproachernoun
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unreproachablenessnoun
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reproachableadjective
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unreproachableadjective
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unreproachedadjective
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unreproachingadjective
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reproachablyadverb
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reproachinglyadverb
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unreproachablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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reproachsimple
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reproachessimple
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have reproachedperfect
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has reproachedperfect
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am reproachingprogressive
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are reproachingprogressive
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is reproachingprogressive
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have been reproachingperfect progressive
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has been reproachingperfect progressive
Past
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reproachedsimple
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had reproachedperfect
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was reproachingprogressive
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were reproachingprogressive
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had been reproachingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reproach
First recorded in 1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English reproche, from Old French, derivative of reprochier “to reproach,” from unattested Vulgar Latin repropiāre “to bring back near,” equivalent to Latin re- “back, near; again” + Late Latin -propiāre (derivative of Latin prope “near”; see re-, approach); (verb) late Middle English reprochen, from Old French reprochier
Explanation
Reproach means to mildly criticize. If you show poor manners at your grandmother's dinner table, she will reproach you. The verb reproach means to express disapproval or criticism of; as a noun it means blame or criticism. If you are beyond reproach that means no one could find anything to criticize about you. Synonyms for reproach are the verbs admonish, reprove, rebuke, reprimand. As a noun, reproach can also be shame. If you are caught lying, it is a reproach that might bother you for a while.
Vocabulary lists containing reproach
Metamorphosis
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The Odyssey
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Grade 10, List 6
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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:
Messrs. Robey and Light understand that police officers aren’t above reproach and that racism in this country still exists.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Lawyers acting for Dean's mother have said the document appears to be a "character assassination" of both him and his family, to keep Pierce beyond reproach.
From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2025
Governor Robert Orr, R-Ind., was disciplined and kind and his ethics were beyond reproach.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2024
“In fact, following our efforts, our state-of-the-art compliance program has been repeatedly acknowledged as impressive and above reproach by outside parties.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 7, 2024
“What?” said Estella, preserving her attitude of indifference as she leaned against the great chimney-piece and only moving her eyes; “do you reproach me for being cold? You?”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
His notebooks, newly republished in an English translation by Ryan Bloom, are full of similar passages in which Camus reproaches himself to get to work and stay true to his beliefs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
The tirade, an unusually direct and pointed outburst on an island where such reproaches are typically not tolerated, went viral shortly after publication.
From Reuters ● Jun. 13, 2022
Still, “Guy” ensures that, whenever Earle’s next meeting with Clark may come, Earle has done well by his old friend with this heartfelt tribute and there’ll be no need for reproaches.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 27, 2019
Asked about his unfinished reading, the protagonist says, “No sooner do I buy a new book than it reproaches me for leaving it unread.”
From Washington Post ● Aug. 11, 2016
Wishes, thoughts, accusations and reproaches are swirling around in my head.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
When Vernice tries to persuade Annie to aim higher, she is reproached by her friend: “Stop acting like me and you knit with the same needles.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Welsh Labour MP Steve Witherden has apologised after being reproached for drinking milk from a carton in the House of Commons last week.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2024
I reproached him for telling people that the medical and scientific profession was lying to them while he, a proven fraud, was not.
From Scientific American ● Jun. 29, 2023
"Everyone reproached us for having a quantity of money tied up in a system where we could not decide anything," said a source close to Renault.
From Reuters ● Feb. 6, 2023
Margaret Kochamma was reproached by her employer and given a lecture on Cafe Ethics.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Instead of reproaching her, he ended up comforting her and patting her on the shoulder, she said.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 30, 2022
It appeared clear to Elder that the presidential candidate was reproaching the journalist out for waffling on an important story.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2021
The current reproaching of Amazon in the popular press often traces back to Mr. Bezos.
From New York Times ● Jul. 3, 2021
In June, he started to send her texts reproaching her for not doing the work he was paying her to do.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2013
He shook his head, sadly and heavily, as if he were reproaching her and it was a sorrow to him, but he was doing it for her own good.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
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.
