reprobate 1 of 3

Definition of reprobatenext

reprobate

2 of 3

noun

reprobate

3 of 3

verb

1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb reprobate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reprobate are censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, and reprehend. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

When would censure be a good substitute for reprobate?

The words censure and reprobate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When could condemn be used to replace reprobate?

The synonyms condemn and reprobate are sometimes interchangeable, but condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

Where would criticize be a reasonable alternative to reprobate?

The words criticize and reprobate can be used in similar contexts, but criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

How are the words denounce and condemn related as synonyms of reprobate?

Denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When might reprehend be a better fit than reprobate?

While in some cases nearly identical to reprobate, reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

How does the verb reprobate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reprobate are censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, and reprehend. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

When would censure be a good substitute for reprobate?

The words censure and reprobate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When could condemn be used to replace reprobate?

The synonyms condemn and reprobate are sometimes interchangeable, but condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

Where would criticize be a reasonable alternative to reprobate?

The words criticize and reprobate can be used in similar contexts, but criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

How are the words denounce and condemn related as synonyms of reprobate?

Denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When might reprehend be a better fit than reprobate?

While in some cases nearly identical to reprobate, reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

How does the verb reprobate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reprobate are censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, and reprehend. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

When would censure be a good substitute for reprobate?

The words censure and reprobate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When could condemn be used to replace reprobate?

The synonyms condemn and reprobate are sometimes interchangeable, but condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

Where would criticize be a reasonable alternative to reprobate?

The words criticize and reprobate can be used in similar contexts, but criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

How are the words denounce and condemn related as synonyms of reprobate?

Denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When might reprehend be a better fit than reprobate?

While in some cases nearly identical to reprobate, reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reprobate
Adjective
That’s when Regina’s sardonic sister (Wanda Skyes, the show’s co-creator) steps in and lets him and his reprobate pals have it. Jeanne Jakle, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Apr. 2021 For reference, consider the late, reprobate Southwest Conference. Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 13 Jan. 2020
Noun
But Jaron had a new acquaintance—Nortal, an old reprobate who ran the town dump. Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025 Like many of Anderson’s protagonists, Gustave is a reprobate of the first order, romancing old ladies for their fortunes and such. Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for reprobate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprobate
Adjective
  • Today, Christians observe Good Friday — a day when corrupt religious and political forces crucified Jesus of Nazareth as a common criminal on a rubbish heap outside the city walls of Jerusalem.
    Peter Cook, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • First there’s Phil Reizenstein, who, during a long career plumbing the depths of Magic City jurisprudence, has represented a former telenovela actor who killed a motorist in a road rage incident, as well as a DEA agent in an investigation into corrupt activities.
    Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Then there’s Haim, so full of venom and vitriol, who depending on one’s perspective is low-key the hero or villain of the film.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Javier Bardem’s Oscar-winning performance as Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men remains an iconic villain turn 20 years later.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Olsson rejects The Athletic’s offer to take cover inside the coffee shop.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Last week, for example, the UK government rejected plans by a Chinese company, Ming Yang, to invest in a Scottish factory to produce wind turbine blades, citing national security reasons.
    Andy Browne, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Increasingly, judges are opting to sanction lawyers who submit briefs tainted by AI errors, Moylan said, sometimes fining those who refuse to admit wrongdoing or referring them to their state’s bar association for disciplinary actions.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Like the impish anti-romance that crumbles around it, the movie’s twist is both transgressive enough to be pleased with itself and also rooted in a reality that refuses to be dismissed as a bad joke.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • During his first Palm Sunday address, the pontiff denounced those who use God to justify war and urged prayers for peace, particularly for those suffering in the Middle East.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
  • During his inaugural Palm Sunday address, the pontiff denounced those who use God to justify war and urged prayers for peace, particularly for those suffering in the Middle East.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • But its conventional naval power looks severely degraded, while Western allies retain strong minesweeping capabilities that could be deployed to keep global trade flowing.
    Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Drawing this degraded, sour crude is akin to pumping industrial poison through our midstream and downstream networks.
    Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The psychology that Bryk wrote for these young men is the key as to why these brutes are more lovable than unbearable.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Bay Hill was a brute before the round was halted for just over an hour because of heavy rain.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.
    Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Judge Antonio Arzola denied the request for a standard bond, citing probable cause, and issued an elevated $5,000 bond.
    Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Reprobate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprobate. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster