admonish

[ ad-mon-ish ]

verb (used with object)

1. to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
2. to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner:

   The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.

   Synonyms: upbraid, censure, rebuke

3. to urge to a duty; remind:

   to admonish them about their obligations.

admonish

/ ˌædməˈnɪʃən; ədˈmɒnɪʃ /

verb

1. to reprove firmly but not harshly
2. to advise to do or against doing something; warn; caution

Derived Forms

• admonition, noun
• adˈmonitory, adjective
• adˈmonisher, noun

Other Words From

• ad·mon·ish·er noun
• ad·mon·ish·ing·ly adverb
• ad·mon·ish·ment noun
• pre·ad·mon·ish verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of admonish¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; late Middle English admonish, amonesche, admonesse, amoness, Middle English a(d)monest (with -t later taken as past participle suffix), from Anglo-French, Old French amonester, from Vulgar Latin admonestāre (unrecorded), apparently derivative of Latin admonēre “to remind, give advice to” (source of -est- is uncertain), equivalent to ad- ad- ( def ) + monēre “to remind, warn”; monitor ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of admonish¹

C14: via Old French from Vulgar Latin admonestāre (unattested), from Latin admonēre to put one in mind of, from monēre to advise

Synonym Study

See warn. See reprimand.

Example Sentences

“Instead, we felt it was beneficial to just admonish ‘Pickles’ for running from officers!”

From Los Angeles Times

He’s a propagandist, Conway was correct to admonish him and I’m far more worried about reporting facts than I am worried about personal insults.

From Salon

If you’re going to admonish someone for being “rude” while defending someone spreading disinformation, then you’re the problem – not the guy calling out lies for being lies.

From Salon

He said he heard the mother admonish, “Don’t touch a n—,” and something inside him shifted.

From Los Angeles Times

But Mr Costello's testimony was contradicted by his own emails, and in an unusual and chaotic moment, a furious Justice Merchan cleared the courtroom so he could admonish Costello about his behaviour on the stand.

From BBC

Related Words

• advise
• berate
• censure
• chide
• enjoin
• exhort
• rebuke
• reprimand
• scold
• upbraid
• warn