reprobate
playWhat It Means
A reprobate is an unprincipled or depraved person. Other names for such a being are scoundrel and rogue.
// The reprobate preyed on well-to-do elderly women, who he would swindle out of their money.
reprobate in Context
"Dickens' classic novella, 'A Christmas Carol,' …. endures for many reasons, not the least of which is its redemptive theme in which Scrooge, a curmudgeon and a reprobate, is able to find deliverance from his obduracy and become a beacon of generosity, kindness and goodwill." — Emery Cummins, The San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Dec. 2021
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."
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Quiz
Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of the noun reprobate: s _ _ l _ w _ _.
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