reprobate
1 of 3noun
: an unprincipled or depraved person : scoundrel, rogue
Cemeteries were seldom placed on the north side of a church, which, if used for burial at all, was reserved for unbaptized children, criminals, reprobates and suicides.
Rosemary Ellen Guiley
Rosemary Ellen Guileyreprobate
2 of 3adjective
1
a
: morally corrupt : depraved
b
: foreordained to damnation
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a reprobate
reprobate conduct
3
: expressing or involving reprobation
4
archaic : rejected as worthless or not standing a test : condemned
reprobate
3 of 3verb
rep·ro·bate ˈre-prə-ˌbāt 
reprobated; reprobating
transitive verb
1
: to condemn strongly as unworthy, unacceptable, or evil
reprobating the laxity of the age
2
: to refuse to accept : reject
3
: to foreordain to damnation
reprobative
ˈre-prə-ˌbā-tiv
adjective reprobatory
ˈre-prə-bə-ˌtȯr-ē
adjective 
Did you know?
The original reprobates were hardened sinners who had fallen from God's grace. In time, their name was used outside of religious contexts for any person who behaves in a morally wrong way. In Late Latin, reprobare means "to disapprove" or "to condemn."
Synonyms
Noun
- baddie
- baddy
- beast
- brute
- caitiff
- devil
- evildoer
- fiend
- heavy
- hound
- knave
- meanie
- meany
- miscreant
- monster
- nazi
- no-good
- rapscallion
- rascal
- rogue
- savage
- scalawag
- scallywag
- scamp
- scapegrace
- scoundrel
- varlet
- villain
- wretch
Adjective
- corrupt
- debased
- debauched
- decadent
- degenerate
- degraded
- demoralized
- depraved
- dissipated
- dissolute
- jackleg
- libertine
- loose
- perverse
- perverted
- rakehell
- rakehelly
- rakish
- sick
- unclean
- unwholesome
- warped
Verb
- decline
- deny
- disallow
- disapprove
- negative
- nix
- refuse
- reject
- withhold
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun a program for rehabilitating hard-core reprobates and turning them into hard-working, law-abiding citizens Adjective a reprobate judge who could be bribed, and often with astonishing ease Verb the board will most likely reprobate the request for parole without hesitation she reprobated such an indecent idea
Recent Examples on the Web Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 July 2022 This era of the Rolling Stones is the look every band strived for less than a decade later, when every unwashed reprobate on the Sunset Strip embraced the unkempt hair look that turned into glam rock. Tim Moffatt, EW.com, 10 June 2022 Jack is variously described and self-described as a ne’er-do-well, a reprobate, a black sheep and a scoundrel. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 25 Sep. 2020 Today’s Rand movement is full of transgressors and reprobates. Alexander Sammon, The New Republic, 14 Aug. 2019 Joann Jimenez described reprobates as people who have been rejected by God. Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2019 Get our daily newsletter The scandal over Harvey Weinstein’s treatment of women, and over the other reprobates exposed in his wake, is changing Hollywood irrevocably. The Economist, 1 Mar. 2018 Baseball catches just a handful of reprobates each year. Michael Powell, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2017 Armond White, National Review, 6 Apr. 2022 That’s when Regina’s sardonic sister (Wanda Skyes, the show’s co-creator) steps in and lets him and his reprobate pals have it. Jeanne Jakle, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Apr. 2021 For reference, consider the late, reprobate Southwest Conference. Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 13 Jan. 2020 While Brussels often pulls its punches on enforcing the rules, the stigma of being a fiscal pariah can be enough to rattle financial markets and push reprobate countries into compliance. Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019 Bryan Cranston gets wild as a free-spirited, reprobate bar owner. Chris Ball, cleveland.com, 4 Feb. 2018 Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021 Lemme hear from you reprobates who bet the rent money and lost. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 28 Oct. 2019 See More
Noun
The key to this gaslighting reprobate is that the group has become distracted. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 July 2022 This era of the Rolling Stones is the look every band strived for less than a decade later, when every unwashed reprobate on the Sunset Strip embraced the unkempt hair look that turned into glam rock. Tim Moffatt, EW.com, 10 June 2022 Jack is variously described and self-described as a ne’er-do-well, a reprobate, a black sheep and a scoundrel. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 25 Sep. 2020 Today’s Rand movement is full of transgressors and reprobates. Alexander Sammon, The New Republic, 14 Aug. 2019 Joann Jimenez described reprobates as people who have been rejected by God. Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2019 Get our daily newsletter The scandal over Harvey Weinstein’s treatment of women, and over the other reprobates exposed in his wake, is changing Hollywood irrevocably. The Economist, 1 Mar. 2018 Baseball catches just a handful of reprobates each year. Michael Powell, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2017 Adjective
Batiste is not a reprobate minstrel like late-night regular Lil Nas X; yet the weakness of both is held in equivalent esteem by the cultural mainstream. Armond White, National Review, 6 Apr. 2022 That’s when Regina’s sardonic sister (Wanda Skyes, the show’s co-creator) steps in and lets him and his reprobate pals have it. Jeanne Jakle, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Apr. 2021 For reference, consider the late, reprobate Southwest Conference. Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 13 Jan. 2020 While Brussels often pulls its punches on enforcing the rules, the stigma of being a fiscal pariah can be enough to rattle financial markets and push reprobate countries into compliance. Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019 Bryan Cranston gets wild as a free-spirited, reprobate bar owner. Chris Ball, cleveland.com, 4 Feb. 2018 Verb
Some of it was the sheer allure of mischief-making, the unrepentant reprobate being more compelling than the nice guy. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021 Lemme hear from you reprobates who bet the rent money and lost. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 28 Oct. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Late Latin reprobatus, past participle of reprobare — more at reprove
First Known Use
Noun
1592, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
reprobating
verb
1
as in rejecting
to be unwilling to grant the board will most likely reprobate the request for parole Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- rejecting
- denying
- refusing
- declining
- negativing
- withholding
- disallowing
- disapproving
- forbidding
- proscribing
- prohibiting
- vetoing
- enjoining
- banning
- restricting
- restraining
- nixing
- spurning
- rebuffing
- repelling
- curbing
- keeping
- constraining
- obstructing
- repressing
- checking
- impeding
- hindering
- holding
- balking (at)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- granting
- permitting
- letting
- conceding
- furnishing
- allowing
- supplying
- providing
- authorizing
- affording
- giving
- acquiescing
- okaying
- licensing
- sanctioning
- commissioning
- OK'ing
- agreeing (to)
- warranting
- consenting (to)
- assenting (to)
- acceding (to)
- according
- vouchsafing
- licencing
2
as in refusing
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to without hesitation she reprobated such an indecent idea Synonyms & Similar Words
- rejecting
- refusing
- declining
- ignoring
- denying
- repudiating
- avoiding
- passing
- negativing
- withdrawing
- denying
- dismissing
- vetoing
- spurning
- disapproving
- disputing
- forbidding
- turning down
- disputing
- deselecting
- passing up
- overruling
- disdaining
- proscribing
- throwing over
- prohibiting
- throwing out
- scorning
- renouncing
- nixing
- rebuffing
- abjuring
- controverting
- disavowing
- disclaiming
- forbearing
- scouting
- gainsaying
- balking (at)
- turning one's back on
- retracting
- contradicting
- shooting down
- refuting
- forswearing
- disowning
- foreswearing
- revoking
- blowing off
- unsaying
- recanting
- recalling
- sticking
- bypassing
- disproving
- negating
- rebutting
- disallowing
- taking back
- detouring
- backtracking
- backing down
- reneging
- backing off
- abstaining (from)
- refraining (from)
- disagreeing (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approving
- accepting
- agreeing (to)
- adopting
- receiving
- tolerating
- countenancing
- embracing
- swallowing
- assenting
- agreeing
- taking
- condoning
- acceding
- consenting
- welcoming
- selecting
- choosing
- supporting
- acquiescing
- espousing
- handpicking
3
as in denouncing
to declare to be morally wrong or evil spent much of her talk reprobating the callous indifference of a materialistic society to the suffering of people in the third world Synonyms & Similar Words
- denouncing
- condemning
- criticizing
- blaming
- attacking
- censuring
- execrating
- decrying
- anathematizing
- reprehending
- damning
- excommunicating
- upbraiding
- sentencing
- deprecating
- disparaging
- faulting
- convicting
- hating
- belittling
- abhorring
- admonishing
- detesting
- rebuking
- chastising
- knocking
- panning
- scolding
- chiding
- reproaching
- dooming
- reproving
- ostracizing
- dispraising
- slamming
- loathing
- berating
- reviling
- blacklisting
- vituperating
- castigating
- reprimanding
- blasting
- raking
- dissing
- abominating
- imprecating
- cursing
- lambasting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approving
- endorsing
- indorsing
- sanctioning
- praising
- blessing
- exalting
- commending
- eulogizing
- lauding
- glorifying
- applauding
- saluting
- acclaiming
- hailing
- sanctifying
- consecrating
- honoring
- touting
- extolling
- hallowing
- revering
- venerating