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Definition of censurenext

censure

2 of 2

verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb censure differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of censure are condemn, criticize, denounce, reprehend, and reprobate. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When would condemn be a good substitute for censure?

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

condemned the government's racial policies

When could criticize be used to replace censure?

The words criticize and censure are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

How do denounce and condemn relate to one another, in the sense of censure?

Denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When can reprehend be used instead of censure?

In some situations, the words reprehend and censure are roughly equivalent. However, reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

Where would reprobate be a reasonable alternative to censure?

The meanings of reprobate and censure largely overlap; however, reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

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 censure
Noun
The censure is appealable in the next 30 days, and Kelly vowed to fight it. David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026 Libby filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn her censure on March 11. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Verb
Some were censured and others forced into retirement. Fadi Tawil, Arkansas Online, 24 Nov. 2025 Five House lawmakers were previously censured this decade, including one earlier this year. Connor Greene, Time, 21 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for censure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for censure
Noun
  • The shooting inflamed tensions a day after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, prompting protests and condemnation from state and city officials there.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Elon Musk’s xAI has restricted its AI chatbot Grok’s image generation capabilities to paying subscribers only, following widespread condemnation over its use to create non-consensual sexualized images of real women and children.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Performers have been reprimanded for making racist, sexist and homophobic jokes during shows in the late 1990s and 2000s, according to Westword, and Stock Show officials were quick to apologize.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
  • His popularity in other corners was evident in an October appearance on The View, in which cohost Whoopi Goldberg had to reprimand the audience for shouting out too many supportive exclamations.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But in a shocker move in September 1983, Joe Strummer kicked guitarist Mick Jones out of the band, denouncing his former mate as a rock-star sellout.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Anger and apology Bosch, who was crowned Miss Universe Mexico earlier this year, denounced Nawat for insulting her.
    Anabella González, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Bibelheimer also had good reason to criticize the film, as Ferrell’s portrayal of her was wildly at odds with the truth.
    Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Most lawmakers who condemned the incident did not call it a murder in their public statements.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The United States should be condemned by the international community and all peoples of this earth.
    Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Chipotle and Cava both reported weaker sales this fall, blaming a slowdown among younger diners who are packing lunches instead.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The hurricane has been blamed for 77 deaths, according to the Pan American Health Organization.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • On Earth, tectonic faulting in the seafloor enables water to plunge kilometers down into the rock, and as fresh faults are opened up by shifting tectonic plates, new rock is exposed, maintaining the nutrient supply released into the ocean through hydrothermal vents.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Nineteen students and two teachers were killed, and investigations have faulted the police response and suggested that a 77-minute delay in police mounting a counterassault could have contributed to the carnage.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Fret about finding ways to score and the offense punishes you.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The state’s drought-free status is welcome news for water managers, but residents in some regions are still recovering from a series of punishing atmospheric river storms that brought intense rain and flooding.
    Denise Chow, NBC news, 9 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Censure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/censure. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on censure

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