Admonish — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ad-ˈmä-nish/ ad·mon·ish

Meaning & Definition of Admonish

Admonish (verb)

  1. to indicate duties or obligations to
  2. to express warning or disapproval to (someone) about a fault or oversight especially in a gentle but serious way
  3. to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to

Admonish (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to criticize (someone) usually gently so as to correct a fault

    "admonished her for littering"

    similar: chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off, burn one's ears, get after, get on
    related: berate, castigate, chew out, dress down, flay, harangue, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste, lecture, rail (at or against), rate, scold, score, upbraid, abuse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, blame, blast, censure, condemn, criticize, crucify, denounce, dis (slang), excoriate, fault, knock, lash, pan, reprehend, slam, belittle, deprecate, disparage, minimize, mock, put down, deride, ridicule, scoff, scorn
    near: approve, endorse, OK, sanction, applaud, extol, hail, laud, praise, salute, tout

  2. to give advice to

    "my physician is always admonishing me to eat more healthy foods"

    similar: adjure, advise, counsel
    related: alert, caution, forewarn, warn, brief, clue (in), fill in, inform, tell, wise (up), coach, direct, guide, instruct, lead, mentor, shepherd, show, teach, tutor, pilot, steer, acquaint, apprise, familiarize, convince, encourage, induce, persuade, talk (into), beg, exhort, implore, prevail (upon), urge, propose, recommend, suggest

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Admonish

The most common words with a similar meaning to Admonish:

chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off, adjure, advise, counsel, burn one's ears, get after, get on

Related Words for Admonish

berate, castigate, chew out, dress down, flay, harangue, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste, lecture, rail (at or against), rate, scold, score, upbraid, abuse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, blame, blast, censure, condemn, criticize, crucify, denounce, dis, excoriate, fault, knock

Near Antonyms of Admonish

approve, endorse, OK, sanction, applaud, extol, hail, laud, praise, salute, tout

Word Forms of Admonish

Inflections: admonished, admonishing, admonishes

Derived words: admonisher (noun), admonishment (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Admonish

Middle English amonysshen, admonisshen, amonescen, alteration (with assimilation to the verbal suffix -issh, -esce, borrowed from Anglo-French -iss-, going back to the Latin inceptive suffix -ēsc-, -īsc-) of amonesten, borrowed from Anglo-French amonester, going back to Vulgar Latin *admonestāre, probably derivative of *admonestus, past participle of Latin admonēre "to give a reminder to, give advice to, caution" (modeled on comestus, past participle of comedere "to eat up, consume") from ad- ad- + monēre "to bring to the notice of, give warning" mind:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Admonish

Frequently Asked Questions about Admonish

What does "Admonish" mean?

"Admonish" means to indicate duties or obligations to. As a verb, it is defined as: to indicate duties or obligations to. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Admonish"?

Other words for "Admonish" include chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off, adjure and advise. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Admonish" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Admonish"?

There are 94 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Admonish". Common alternatives include chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off, adjure, advise, counsel and burn one's ears.

How do you use "Admonish" in a sentence?

Examples of "Admonish" in a sentence: "admonished her for littering"; "my physician is always admonishing me to eat more healthy foods".

Is "Admonish" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Admonish" is a verb.

Is "Admonish" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Admonish" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Admonish"?

"Admonish" is pronounced /ad-ˈmä-nish/ and divided into syllables as ad·mon·ish.

What is the origin of the word "Admonish"?

"Admonish" comes from Middle English amonysshen, admonisshen, amonescen, alteration (with assimilation to the verbal suffix -issh, -esce, borrowed from Anglo-French -iss-, going back to the Latin inceptive suffix -ēsc-, -īsc-) of amonesten, borrowed from Anglo-French amonester, going back to Vulgar Latin *admonestāre, probably derivative of *admonestus, past participle of Latin admonēre "to give a reminder to, give advice to, caution" (modeled on comestus, past participle of comedere "to eat up, consume") from ad- ad- + monēre "to bring to the notice of, give warning" mind:1. First known use: 14th century.