adjective
reprehensible
rehp-rih-HEHN-sihbl
adjective
1
Deserving strong criticism or blame; shamefully wrong.
"Lying to investors about the company's finances was utterly reprehensible."
"The coach called the players' behavior reprehensible."
How to Use Reprehensible
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo wrong or shameful that it deserves harsh criticism.
When to use it
A formal word, common in legal, journalistic, and moralizing contexts.
Common pairings
reprehensible conduct
morally reprehensible
a reprehensible act
Word Forms
more reprehensible comparative, reprehensibles plural, most reprehensible superlative
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Etymology
From Late Latin reprehensibilis, from Latin reprehendere ("to seize, to blame") — the same root as "reprehend" and "apprehend."