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:
The incident has revived tensions over the U.S. military presence on the Japanese island, triggering small street protests and drawing a diplomatic rebuke from Tokyo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 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
My cousin stiffened under the sheriff’s questions and rebuke and could only say, “Sorry, Sheriff Charles.”
From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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
The decision rebukes federal regulators who approved the deal, with Nexstar planning an appeal to strengthen local stations.
From Barron's ● Apr. 18, 2026
Elsewhere, the public rebukes and confusion over U.S. strategy are taking a toll on other allies, officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
I sat thinking of the dread possibility of having to leave all this, of being expelled; imagining the return home and the rebukes of my parents.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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
Some sporting governing bodies have publicly rebuked athletes for choosing to compete in the games.
From BBC ● May 23, 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
The same part of my mind that had rebuked me over my fishing fiasco scolded me again.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Figures joins a small group of businesses rebuking the idea that influencer marketing is all about reaching as many people as possible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
Misty Copeland, the trailblazing ballet star formerly of the American Ballet Theatre, has joined the chorus of fine arts personalities rebuking Timothée Chalamet for his dismissive comments about ballet and opera.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
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
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
His rough accent made it hard for me to tell if he was rebuking the older student, but his dark Cealdish face showed definite reproach.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
