Admonish
mediumNegative tonead-MON-ish
verb
Definition
To warn or reprimand someone firmly
Memory hook
AD-MON-ish: A MOM admonishes her child -- 'I warned you not to do that!'
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The teacher admonished the students for their poor behavior.”
“She gently admonished him about the dangers of smoking.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The teacher ______ the students for their poor behavior.”
Show answer
admonished
Categories
GRE Tip
Admonish is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "reprove" or "rebuke" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "praise".
Related GRE Words
censure
To express severe disapproval of someone or something, especially in a formal statement
chastise
To rebuke or reprimand severely; to punish
reproach
To express disapproval or disappointment; censure
rebuke
To express sharp disapproval or criticism
allude
To suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at
allusion
An indirect reference, especially to something in literature or history
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