reproach | SAT Word of the Day
Think of disapproving glances, and the 'shame, shame' two-finger gesture.
⚡️ Quick Quiz: Do you know what REPROACH means already?
reproach most nearly means
(A) regret
(B) sadness
(C) approach
(D) criticism
(E) forgiveness
And one more:
Which of the following situations would most likely result in reproach?
(A) Ana forgot to turn in her essay revisions and received a low grade.
(B) Miguel donated his birthday money to a local animal shelter.
(C) The sunset filled the sky with brilliant oranges and purples.
(D) Kenisha received a standing ovation for her violin performance.
(E) The ancient redwood trees towered majestically over the forest.
Scroll down for the answer/s.
ℹ️ Part of speech of reproach
reproach can be both a NOUN (count noun) and a VERB.
🗣️ Pronunciation of reproach
reproach is pronounced /rɪ.ˈproʊtʃ/ or ri-PROACH.
📚️ Definition of reproach
As a noun: An expression of disapproval or disappointment; criticism or blame. Example: harsh reproach for the error.
As a verb: To express disapproval of; to criticize or blame. Example: reproach someone for their behavior.
📰 Examples
Here are some examples of reproach in usage:
The CEO faced severe reproach from shareholders after earnings were announced and they learned that revenue had dropped 20% in North America.
The mother's eyes showed more reproach than her words ever could.
As Oscar Wilde famously said, "There is no sin except stupidity," a quotation often used to reproach those who make avoidable mistakes.
✅ Quiz answer/s
Answers:
D, criticism. Explanations: A (regret) is about feeling sorry for one's own actions, not criticizing others. B (sadness) is an emotional state, not related to disapproval. C (approach) sounds similar but has a completely different meaning related to moving toward something. E (forgiveness) is actually the opposite of reproach, as it involves pardoning rather than criticizing.
A, Ana forgot to.... Explanation: This situation would likely result in criticism or disapproval from teachers or parents. B describes a praiseworthy action that would receive approval, not reproach. C is simply a description of nature with no human judgment involved. D describes a positive reception to a performance, the opposite of a reproach. E is another neutral description of nature without human judgment.
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Vocab list of the words that appeared on the Nov 2024 SAT test
I've always loved the phrase "beyond reproach," even though I've never personally enjoyed that status.