Meaning & use
reproach
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To tell someone, often sadly or gently, that you are disappointed in something they did.
Grammar: Takes a person as object, often with for: reproach him for being late.
Patterns
- reproach someone for something
- reproach someone with something
- reproach yourself
She did not shout, but she reproached him for forgetting the anniversary.
He reproached himself for not calling his grandmother sooner.
The teacher gently reproached the class for their untidy work.
nouncountable or uncountable
An expression of disappointment or blame, or a feeling of shame brought on by it.
Grammar: Often uncountable: a look of reproach. Can be countable: a quiet reproach.
Patterns
- a look of reproach
- a reproach to someone
- without reproach
Her eyes were full of reproach when he arrived late.
There was no reproach in his voice, only sadness.
The empty classroom seemed a silent reproach to the school board.
phraseidiomformal
Used in beyond reproach to mean so good that nobody could find anything to criticize.
Grammar: Fixed phrase used after be or remain: his conduct was beyond reproach.
Patterns
- be beyond reproach
- above reproach
The judge's honesty was beyond reproach.
A nurse's conduct must be above reproach at all times.
Her record as a teacher remained beyond reproach.
Word forms
| third person singular | reproaches |
|---|---|
| past tense | reproached |
| past participle | reproached |
| -ing form | reproaching |
Common combinations
- reproach someone for
- He reproached his brother for breaking the promise.
- reproach yourself
- She reproached herself for missing the warning signs.
- beyond reproach
- The accountant's work was beyond reproach.
- look of reproach
- The dog gave him a look of reproach when he left.
- gently reproach
- The coach gently reproached the players for their attitude.
- term of reproach
- The word was once a term of reproach but is now a compliment.
Synonyms and how they differ
- scold
- Scold is angrier and louder, and is often used about adults telling off children.
- rebuke
- Rebuke is sharper and more formal, usually from someone with authority.
- reprimand
- Reprimand is official, such as a boss formally criticizing an employee.
- chide
- Chide is mild and slightly old-fashioned, close to reproach but lighter.
Opposites
Word family
- reproachful adjective
- showing disappointment or blame
- reproachfully adverb
- in a way that shows blame or disappointment
- irreproachable adjective
- so faultless that no criticism is possible
- reproachfulness noun
- the quality of showing blame
Commonly confused: reproach or approach? reproach or reprove?
reproach vs approach
Approach means to come near or a way of dealing with something; it only looks similar to reproach.
reproach vs reprove
Reprove is a close, more formal word for correcting someone, while reproach often shows hurt feelings.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Reproach someone takes for plus the thing they did wrong. Of, to and about are not used in this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reproach”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.