chide

verb

ˈchīd 

chid ˈchid  or chided ˈchī-dəd  ; chid or chidden ˈchi-dᵊn  or chided; chiding ˈchī-diŋ 

intransitive verb

: to speak out in angry or displeased rebuke

is quick to chide against the mayor for his negligence

transitive verb

: to voice disapproval to : reproach in a usually mild and constructive manner : scold

She chided us for arriving late.

Synonyms

• admonish
• rebuke
• reprimand
• reproach
• reprove
• tick off

Choose the Right Synonym for chide

reprove, rebuke, reprimand, admonish, reproach, chide mean to criticize adversely.

reprove implies an often kindly intent to correct a fault.

gently reproved my table manners

rebuke suggests a sharp or stern reproof.

the papal letter rebuked dissenting clerics

reprimand implies a severe, formal, often public or official rebuke.

reprimanded by the ethics committee

admonish suggests earnest or friendly warning and counsel.

admonished by my parents to control expenses

reproach and chide suggest displeasure or disappointment expressed in mild reproof or scolding.

reproached him for tardiness

chided by their mother for untidiness

Examples of chide in a Sentence

She chided us for arriving late.

“You really should have been here on time,” she chided.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Council members repeatedly chided top CUNY officials for coming unprepared to answer their questions. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024

The historian Katherine Otis has studied expert advice given to grandparents and found that, in the nineteen-fifties and sixties, at the apex of the nuclear family, seniors were chided for meddling. —Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Asante Samuel, a two-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowler, chided former NFL star running back Le’Veon Bell on a recent post about the upcoming presidential election. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 3 Nov. 2024

After lightly chiding these gents for two movies, director Michael Winterbottom finally takes the knives out and begins to punish them, a decision that results in two late scenes that border on sociopathic and culminates in an unimaginably absurd ending that refuses to let Coogan off the hook. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English cīdan to quarrel, chide, from cīd strife

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

chide

verb

ˈchīd 

chid ˈchid  or chided ˈchīd-əd  ; chid or chidden ˈchid-ᵊn  or chided; chiding ˈchīd-iŋ 

: to express mild disapproval of