admonition
Americannoun
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an act of admonishing.
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counsel, advice, or caution.
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a gentle reproof.
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a warning or reproof given by an ecclesiastical authority.
Other Word Forms
- preadmonition noun
Etymology
Origin of admonition
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin admonitiōn- (stem of admonitiō ); see ad-, monition; replacing late Middle English amonicioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin; see admonish
Explanation
Bringing a skateboard to school is a great way to get an admonition from a teacher not to ride it down the halls. An admonition is advice with a hint of scolding, a warning not to do something. When you're cautioned or warned about some mistake you might be just about to make, or some looming danger, you're receiving an admonition. The strength and tone of an admonition determine whether it's a gentle, polite suggestion or more of a stern warning. In Scotland, an admonition is an official legal term that means a verbal punishment for someone who's been found guilty but set free.
Vocabulary lists containing admonition
The Giver
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The Diary of a Young Girl
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Metamorphosis
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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.
Beshear’s not-yet-candidacy, still in the fledgling phase, offers a mix of aspiration and admonition.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026
Jessica Lautz, vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors, offers this admonition to homeowners selling for the first time in years: “It’s a very different housing market today.”
From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025
Third, every parent should abide by an admonition frequently offered by my famous pediatrician father: “I never met a child spoiled for having been told too many times that they were loved.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
Eilish’s admonition and Parton’s example resonates because it underscores a broader cultural conversation: wealth comes with choices.
From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025
According to the Daily News's astrologer, you must “demand more of yourself,” an admonition that is also vague but also different.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
