Definitions

admonished

[ad-mon-isht] / ædˈmɒn ɪʃt /

VERB

warn, strongly criticize

Synonyms

STRONGEST

advise berate censure chide enjoin exhort rebuke reprimand scold upbraid warn

STRONG

check counsel ding forewarn glue growl hoist notice rap reprove

WEAK

call down call on the carpet come down hard on draw the line give a going over give a piece of one's mind jack up rap on knuckles sit on slap on wrist speak to talk to tell a thing or two tell off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

allow compliment flatter laud permit praise

WEAK

applaud approve commend extol

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.

They did hear testimony from an anti–death penalty lawyer who was admonished for testing DNA on a water bottle without the person’s permission.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

In the case of a New York real-estate developer, an appeals court admonished Hellerstein for calling a prosecutor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

An hour after police arrived, the watch commander admonished officers for failing that job.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

In 2000, the EPA admonished naval officials for neglecting to inform residents that a fire had broken out at a hazardous landfill at Hunters Point.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

English was then still a party favor for me—crack open the dictionary, find out if I'd just been insulted, praised, admonished, criticized.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez