admonish

Admonish is a verb meaning to warn or reprimand someone firmly, or to caution or remind them to avoid a mistake or to behave in a desired way. It can also mean to advise or exhort someone to take a particular action. The tone of admonishing is corrective rather than punitive, often aimed at preventing harm or misconduct.

The word derives from Latin admonēre, meaning to warn or remind, and entered English via Old French admonistrer or admonir, taking on a sense of giving prudent advice as well as signaling disapproval.

In contemporary usage, admonish tends to convey a milder, more formal form of correction than rebuke or chide, though it can be strong depending on context. It is commonly used in formal writing and in rules or guidelines to indicate expected behavior. Related forms include admonition (the act or instance of admonishing) and admonitory (serving to admonish or warning). The construction with to is common, as in “admonish someone to refrain” or “admonish someone to be careful.”

Examples illustrate its range: A teacher may admonish a student for talking out of turn, or a policy may admonish employees to report misconduct promptly. In religious or moral discourse, admonitions may carry a tone of guidance in addition to correction. Overall, admonish occupies a middle ground between gentle advice and formal warning.