Censure means to formally criticizeto say that someone or something has done badly or wrongly or rebuketo sharply and angrily blame or scold a person someone. It can also refer to a severe official disapprovala negative opinion showing that something is not accepted, or, in a religious context, being formally excluded from a church.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈsɛnʃər/
Easy pronunciation: SEN-sher (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Verb sense: to rebuke formally.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Censure Meaning
to criticize or reprimand someone officially and seriously
Part of speech: verb
Definition: rebuke formally
Example: The committee censured the minister for misleading the public.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- reprimand — A direct formal rebuke in the same sense.
- criminate — Listed as a synonym source term, but it is much less common and can sound archaic or unusual.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Censure
Meaning 2
strong official disapproval or criticism
Part of speech: noun
Definition: harsh criticism or disapproval
Example: The report drew censure from both sides of the debate.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- animadversion — A formal word for criticism or disapproval; it fits this noun sense.
Meaning 3
the state of being formally excluded from a church
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the state of being excommunicated
Example: In the older church system, censure could mean excommunication.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- excommunication — A direct match for this religious sense.
- exclusion — Related to being barred or removed, but broader and less precise than excommunication.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Censure Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- reprimand
harsh criticism or disapproval
- animadversion
the state of being excommunicated
- excommunication
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use censure to mean simple dislike; it usually implies formal or serious criticism.
- Do not confuse censure with censor, which means to suppress or edit material.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does censure mean?
Censure means to formally criticize or rebuke someone, usually in an official way.
Is censure a noun or a verb?
It can be both. As a verb, it means to rebuke formally. As a noun, it can mean harsh criticism or, in a religious context, excommunication.
What are common synonyms for censure?
For the verb sense, reprimand is the strongest synonym. For the noun sense, criticism or disapproval is often a natural equivalent, though not exact synonyms in every context.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.