rebuke
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See reproach.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have rebukedperfect
-
has rebukedperfect 3rd person singular
-
is rebukingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am rebukingprogressive 1st person singular
-
are rebukingprogressive
-
have been rebukingperfect progressive
-
rebukessingular 3rd person
-
rebukingparticiple
-
has been rebukingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had rebukedperfect
-
was rebukingprogressive singular
-
were rebukingprogressive plural
-
had been rebukingperfect progressive
-
rebukedsimple
-
rebukedparticiple
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.
He called upon people to love their enemies, not rebuke them or disparage their existence.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
The decision angered some of the biggest U.S. streaming companies like Netflix, Walt Disney, Apple, Amazon.com and Paramount Skydance, prompting a harsh rebuke from Hollywood.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Just months after joining the eurozone single currency area, the European Commission is set to rebuke Bulgaria for violating the EU's spending rules.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
The film doesn’t have to take a swipe at AI; the handmade craft is its own rebuke.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
The rebuke hurt Thomas far more than it should have, considering he’d known this guy all of three minutes.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
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.
