- to impute blame to (a person) for an action or fault; rebuke
- the act of reproaching
- rebuke or censure; reproof
- disgrace or shame: to bring reproach upon one's family
- above reproach, beyond reproach ⇒ perfect; beyond criticism
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
re•proach /rɪˈproʊtʃ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
n.
re•proach•ful•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to find fault with (a person, group, etc.);
to criticize severely;
blame.
n.
- blame;
disapproval:[uncountable]a term of reproach. - [countable] an expression of, or words that express, such blame.
re•proach•ful•ly, adv.
re•proach
(ri prōch′),USA pronunciation v.t.
n.
re•proach′a•ble, adj.
re•proach′a•ble•ness, n.
re•proach′a•bly, adv.
re•proach′er, n.
re•proach′ing•ly, adv.
- to find fault with (a person, group, etc.);
blame;
censure. - to upbraid.
- to be a cause of blame or discredit to.
n.
- blame or censure conveyed in disapproval:a term of reproach.
- an expression of upbraiding, censure, or reproof.
- disgrace, discredit, or blame incurred:to bring reproach on one's family.
- a cause or occasion of disgrace or discredit.
- Religion the Reproaches. Also called Improperia. [Rom. Cath. Ch., Anglican Ch.]a series of antiphons sung in church on Good Friday, consisting of words addressed by Christ to His people, reminding them of His mercies and of their ingratitude.
- an object of scorn or contempt.
- Old French reprochier
- Vulgar Latin *repropiāre to bring back near, equivalent. to Latin re- re- + Late Latin -propiāre (derivative of Latin prope near; see approach); (verb, verbal) late Middle English reprochen
- Old French, derivative of reprochier to reproach
- (noun, nominal) late Middle English reproche 1375–1425
re•proach′a•ble•ness, n.
re•proach′a•bly, adv.
re•proach′er, n.
re•proach′ing•ly, adv.
- 1. chide, abuse, reprimand, reprehend, condemn, criticize. Reproach, rebuke, scold, reprove imply calling one to account for something done or said. Reproach is censure (often about personal matters, obligations, and the like) given with an attitude of faultfinding and some intention of shaming:to reproach one for neglect.Rebuke suggests sharp or stern reproof given usually formally or officially and approaching reprimand in severity:He rebuked him strongly for laxness in his accounts.Scold suggests that censure is given at some length, harshly, and more or less abusively; it implies irritation, which may be with or without justification:to scold a boy for jaywalking.A word of related meaning, but suggesting a milder or more kindly censure, often intended to correct the fault in question, is reprove:to reprove one for inattention. 3. shame. 4. 5. reprehension, rebuke, criticism, remonstrance, condemnation, disapproval. 6. dishonor, shame, disrepute, odium, obloquy, opprobrium, ignominy, infamy, scorn.
- 1. 4. 5. praise. 6. honor.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
reproach /rɪˈprəʊtʃ/ vb (transitive)