Meanings
nounrebuke (plural rebukes)
plural rebukes
- A harsh criticism.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance met Saturday with the Vatican's No. 2 official, following a remarkable papal rebuke of the Trump administration’s crackdown on migrants and Vance’s theological justification of it.
2025 April 19, Nicole Winfield, “JD Vance visits the Vatican for Easter after papal rebuke over Trump's migrant crackdown”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 28 Apr 20252 more examples
There was the sternness of an old-fashioned Tour patron in his rebuke to the young Frenchman Pierre Rolland, the only one to ride away from the peloton and seize the opportunity for a lone attack before being absorbed back into the bunch, where he was received with coolness.
2012 July 15, Richard Williams, “Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track”, in Guardian Unlimited, archived from the original on 25 Jun 2022With his emphasis on accepting the science (he was a trained chemist) – and hence his stern rebuke to the climate change deniers and the politicians who courted them – he even managed to reset the relationship between science and religion, which had been rocky ever since Galileo fell foul of the Inquisition 400 years earlier.
2025 April 21, Peter Stanford, “Pope Francis obituary”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2025Synonyms: reproach, reproof, reproval, reprehension, reprimand, admonition
verbrebuke (third-person singular simple present rebukes, present participle rebuking, simple past and past participle rebuked)
present singular third person rebukes · participle present rebuking · participle past rebuked · past rebuked
- To criticise harshly; to reprove.
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.
2011, Biblica, Holy Bible: New International Version, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, →ISBN, 6:(please specify the verse(s))1 more example
When Morrison mulls the pluses and minuses associated with rebuking Kelly for undermining the government’s public health messaging, the prime minister faces a genuine substantive dilemma, and that goes to the risks of amplification.
2021 February 2, Katharine Murphy, “Scott Morrison must heed the lesson of Donald Trump and slap down Craig Kelly”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 27 Apr 2021Synonyms: reprimand, reproach, reprove, reprehend, admonish, admonish, animadvert, bash
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA harsh criticism.
verbTo criticise harshly; to reprove.
More synonyms by meaning
nounan act or expression of criticism and censure
Broader
criticismunfavorable judgment
verbcensure severely or angrily
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*buskaz“bush”
- Frankish*busk“grove”
- Vulgar Latin*busca“wood, grove”
- Old French*buker
- Anglo-Normanrebuker“to beat back, repel”
- Middle Englishrebuken
- Englishrebuke
From Middle English rebuken, from Anglo-Norman rebuker (“to beat back, repel”), from re- + Old French *buker, buchier, buschier (“to strike, hack down, chop”), from busche (“wood”), from Vulgar Latin *busca (“wood, grove”), from Frankish *busk (“grove”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush”); equivalent to re- + bush.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans beknor, berispe
- beknorto criticise harshly; to reprove
- berispeto criticise harshly; to reprove
Bulgarian мъмрене, порицание
- мъмрене (mămrene)harsh criticism
- порицание (poricanie)harsh criticism
- укор (ukor)harsh criticism
- укорявам (ukorjavam)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- порицавам (poricavam)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Catalan reprensió, esbroncada
- reprensióharsh criticism
- esbroncadaharsh criticism
- esbroncharsh criticism
- renyarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- esbroncarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reprendreto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reganyarto criticise harshly; to reprove
Chinese Cantonese 鬧 /闹
- 鬧 /闹 (naau⁶)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Chinese Mandarin 苛责, 訓斥 /训斥
- 苛责 (kēzé)harsh criticism
- 訓斥 /训斥 (xùnchì)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 指責 /指责 (zhǐzé)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 非難 /非难 (fēinàn)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 譴責 /谴责 (qiǎnzé)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 罵 /骂 (mà)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 叱 (chì)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Czech výčitka, výtka
- výčitkaharsh criticism
- výtkaharsh criticism
- pokáráníharsh criticism
- vyčítatto criticise harshly; to reprove
Danish skideballe, irettesættelse
- skideballeharsh criticism
- irettesættelseharsh criticism
- bebrejdeto criticise harshly; to reprove
- irettesætteto criticise harshly; to reprove
Dutch verwijt, berisping
- verwijtharsh criticism
- berispingharsh criticism
- verwijtento criticise harshly; to reprove
- berispento criticise harshly; to reprove
- manento criticise harshly; to reprove
- aanmanento criticise harshly; to reprove
- aansporento criticise harshly; to reprove
- beknorrento criticise harshly; to reprove
- terechtwijzento criticise harshly; to reprove
Esperanto riproĉo, admoni
- riproĉoharsh criticism
- admonito criticise harshly; to reprove
- riproĉito criticise harshly; to reprove
- skoldito criticise harshly; to reprove
Finnish soimaus, ankara kritiikki
- soimausharsh criticism
- ankara kritiikkiharsh criticism
- haukkuminenharsh criticism
- moittiato criticise harshly; to reprove
- haukkuato criticise harshly; to reprove
- sättiäto criticise harshly; to reprove
- parjatato criticise harshly; to reprove
- läksyttääto criticise harshly; to reprove
French reproche, réprimande
- reprocheharsh criticism
- réprimandeharsh criticism
- reprendreto criticise harshly; to reprove
- réprimanderto criticise harshly; to reprove
- gronderto criticise harshly; to reprove
- désapprouverto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reprocher (s.o. for sth.: qqch. à qqn)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- tancerto criticise harshly; to reprove
- engueulerto criticise harshly; to reprove
- mettre une chasseto criticise harshly; to reprove
- passer un savonto criticise harshly; to reprove
- pourrirto criticise harshly; to reprove
- gourmanderto criticise harshly; to reprove
- chapitrerto criticise harshly; to reprove
German Tadel, Anschiss
- Tadelharsh criticism
- Anschissharsh criticism
- Rügeharsh criticism
- Schelteharsh criticism
- Zurechtweisungharsh criticism
- Vorhaltungharsh criticism
- tadelnto criticise harshly; to reprove
- schimpfen mitto criticise harshly; to reprove
- ausschimpfento criticise harshly; to reprove
- scheltento criticise harshly; to reprove
- ermahnento criticise harshly; to reprove
- mahnento criticise harshly; to reprove
- abmahnento criticise harshly; to reprove
- warnento criticise harshly; to reprove
- rüffelnto criticise harshly; to reprove
- zurechtweisento criticise harshly; to reprove
- rügento criticise harshly; to reprove
- maßregelnto criticise harshly; to reprove
Greek μομφή, επίπληξη
- μομφή (momfí)harsh criticism
- επίπληξη (epíplixi)harsh criticism
- παρατήρηση (paratírisi)harsh criticism
- μέμφομαι (mémfomai)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- επιπλήττω (epiplítto)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- αποπαίρνω (apopaírno)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- επιτιμώ (epitimó)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Icelandic átelja
- áteljato criticise harshly; to reprove
Indonesian menegur, mengganjar
- menegurto criticise harshly; to reprove
- mengganjarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- benturto criticise harshly; to reprove
- berbenturanto criticise harshly; to reprove
Irish spreagadh, aifirt
- spreagadhharsh criticism
- aifirtharsh criticism
- spreagto criticise harshly; to reprove
- aifirto criticise harshly; to reprove
Italian rimbrotto, reprimenda
- rimbrottoharsh criticism
- reprimendaharsh criticism
- rimproveroharsh criticism
- richiamoharsh criticism
- ammonimentoharsh criticism
- disappuntoharsh criticism
- rampognaharsh criticism
- rimbrottareto criticise harshly; to reprove
- rimproverareto criticise harshly; to reprove
- riprendereto criticise harshly; to reprove
- richiamareto criticise harshly; to reprove
- ammonireto criticise harshly; to reprove
- sgridareto criticise harshly; to reprove
Japanese 叱責する, 叱る
- 叱責する (shisseki-suru)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 叱る (shikaru)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 非難する (hinan suru)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Korean 힐책하다, 질책하다
- 힐책하다 (hilchaekhada)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 질책하다 (jilchaekhada)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- 비난하다 (binanhada)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Latin obiurgō
- obiurgōto criticise harshly; to reprove
Māori whakangutungutu, pātotoi
- whakangutungututo criticise harshly; to reprove
- pātotoito criticise harshly; to reprove
Norwegian bestride, bebreide
- bestrideto criticise harshly; to reprove
- bebreideto criticise harshly; to reprove
Persian سرکوفت, عتاب
- سرکوفت (sarkuft)harsh criticism
- عتاب ('etâb)harsh criticism
- سرکوفت زدن (sarkuft zadan)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Polish zbesztanie, besztanina
- zbesztanieharsh criticism
- besztaninaharsh criticism
- rugaćto criticise harshly; to reprove
- zrugaćto criticise harshly; to reprove
- besztaćto criticise harshly; to reprove
- zbesztaćto criticise harshly; to reprove
Portuguese bronca, crítica
- broncaharsh criticism
- críticaharsh criticism
- repreensãoharsh criticism
- censuraharsh criticism
- repreenderto criticise harshly; to reprove
- censurarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- criticarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- incriminarto criticise harshly; to reprove
Romanian mustra, certa
- mustrato criticise harshly; to reprove
- certato criticise harshly; to reprove
Russian вы́говор, уко́р
- вы́говор (výgovor)harsh criticism
- уко́р (ukór)harsh criticism
- упрёк (uprjók)harsh criticism
- отчи́тывать (otčítyvatʹ)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- отчита́ть (otčitátʹ)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- упрека́ть (uprekátʹ)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- упрекну́ть (upreknútʹ)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- де́лать вы́говор (délatʹ výgovor)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- руга́ть (rugátʹ)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- брани́ть (branítʹ)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Scottish Gaelic achmhasan, cronaich
- achmhasanharsh criticism
- cronaichto criticise harshly; to reprove
- càinto criticise harshly; to reprove
- troidto criticise harshly; to reprove
Slovak skritizovať, sprdnúť
- skritizovaťto criticise harshly; to reprove
- sprdnúťto criticise harshly; to reprove
- vyčítaťto criticise harshly; to reprove
Spanish reproche, reprensión
- reprocheharsh criticism
- reprensiónharsh criticism
- reprimendaharsh criticism
- reprobaciónharsh criticism
- regañinaharsh criticism
- regañoharsh criticism
- regañadaharsh criticism
- regañeraharsh criticism
- reprehensiónharsh criticism
- regañarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reprocharto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reprenderto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reprobarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- retarto criticise harshly; to reprove
- reprehenderto criticise harshly; to reprove
Swahili kukemea, kulaumu
- kukemeato criticise harshly; to reprove
- kulaumuto criticise harshly; to reprove
Swedish tillrättavisa, förebrå
- tillrättavisato criticise harshly; to reprove
- förebråto criticise harshly; to reprove
- förevitato criticise harshly; to reprove
- läsa lusen av någonto criticise harshly; to reprove
Tamil இடித்துரை, அதட்டு
- இடித்துரை (iṭitturai)harsh criticism
- அதட்டு (ataṭṭu)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- திட்டு (tiṭṭu)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- கண்டி (kaṇṭi)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Turkish azarlamak
- azarlamakto criticise harshly; to reprove
Ukrainian докір, дорікання
- докір (dokir)harsh criticism
- дорікання (dorikannja)harsh criticism
- догана (dohana)harsh criticism
- зауваження (zauvažennja)harsh criticism
- докоряти (dokorjaty)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- дорікати (dorikaty)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- сварити (svaryty)to criticise harshly; to reprove
- картати (kartaty)to criticise harshly; to reprove
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with rebuke
lookdukelukenukechinookflukejukenuczoukukekooktoquemookNuukjookneuksouqcuketuquebashi-bazoukhukenuqueperukespruik
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
rebuke. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rebuke
MLA
“rebuke.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rebuke. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rebuke,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rebuke.
Source: rebuke on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.