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opprobrium

opprobrium

3 9.9
Strong public shame and criticism for doing something very wrong
  • noun
  • /əˈprəʊbriəm/
  • Formal
translation icon : oprobio
  • The politician faced severe opprobrium after the scandal was revealed to the public.
  • avoid opprobrium
  • international opprobrium
  • moral opprobrium

Why does all the opprobrium fall on these women and, and none of these these guys?

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Examples

  • All this accomplished, however, was to earn Yelverton the opprobrium of the House.

    Academic text (2011)
  • As the most important foreign backer of the Shah's regime, the United States shared the opprobrium generated by the regime's excesses.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Why does all the opprobrium fall on these women and, and none of these these guys?

  • Why not focus on the opprobrium on the side that did the killing?

    Blog text (12)
  • And we resist in part because there is social opprobrium attached to it in the world of Google Glass.

  • I must emphasize at the start that I do not single out Fisher for any special opprobrium on this score.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The historians will look back on this bizarre behavior with the kind of critical opprobrium that it deserves.

  • In general, the folk of Cath do what they see fit and suffer more or less opprobrium.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Returning veterans from future military operations may not accept the opprobrium that greeted those from Vietnam.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The government usually reserves its most severe opprobrium for groups that challenge its large-scale development projects, including megadams and capital-intensive resource extraction.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

censure
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
141 7.4

A formal statement expressing strong disapproval of someone

is less formal and more about public disgrace and harsh criticism
reproach
vsopprobrium
23 7.2

A remark that shows criticism or disappointment in someone's actions

carries stronger public disgrace and more intense condemnation
infamy
vsopprobrium
21 7.6

Being known for something very bad or shameful

is similar but stresses public disgrace and harsh criticism rather than fame
disrepute
vsopprobrium
6 7.6

A bad reputation that makes people think less of a person or group

is stronger, implying active harsh criticism and public disgrace
chastisement
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
3 7.2

A strong spoken scolding for a mistake

is harsher and more public, causing severe social disgrace
ignominy
vsopprobrium
  • Literature
2 9.3

Shame and loss of respect felt by many people

focuses more on both public shame and harsh criticism causing it
denouncement
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
1 7.7

A public statement that strongly criticizes someone or something

is the social result of such acts, a severe public disgrace
castigation
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
1 9.0

Severe criticism or punishment using harsh words

is wider, covering public disgrace and strong societal condemnation
excoriation
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
1 9.1

Very strong criticism that openly attacks a person

is more about overall public disgrace than only harsh words
heavy flak
vsopprobrium
  • Informal
1 6.5

Strong public criticism of a person or action

is similar but emphasizes lasting public disgrace beyond temporary backlash
obloquy
vsopprobrium
  • Literature
1 9.9

A public attack in words that shames a person and harms their reputation

adds the idea of severe social disgrace beyond just verbal abuse
odium
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
1 9.9

Strong public hatred and disgust toward someone because of what they did

focuses more on public shame and severe criticism rather than hatred
reprobation
vsopprobrium
1 9.5

A strong moral disapproval from other people

is broader, stressing public disgrace and harsh social judgment
objurgation
vsopprobrium
  • Formal
9.9

A strong angry criticism that someone gives to another person

is broader, implying public disgrace and communal condemnation

Antonyms

honor
  • US
2.2

Respect given to a person for good moral behavior

30 4.2

Praise given to someone in public for an achievement

How Disgraced

opprobrium
  • Formal
3 9.9
vilification
  • Formal
6 8.4
ostracism
4 7.9
shame
418 2.3
censure
  • Formal
141 7.4
criticism
512 3.0

Surface Forms

opprobrium singular
opprobriums plural

Etymology

Opprobrium comes from Latin parts ob- 'against' and probrum 'shame', and is like the English word reproach, which means 'blame'. So opprobrium means public shame or severe criticism for something seen as wrong.