Meaning & use
reproof
A formal expression of blame or disapproval directed at someone's behavior.
See it in a sentence
The teacher's gentle reproof was enough to stop the students from talking.
He quietly accepted the manager's reproof without offering any excuses at all.
A note on using this word
Reproof is more formal than 'criticism' and usually implies a measured, often justified correction rather than harsh scolding.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
praisecommendation
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