remonstrate
/ˈɹɛ.mən.stɹeɪt/
remonstrate means to object with in critical fashion; to express disapproval (with, against). It carries an Arena rating of 1497, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, remonstrate ranks #2,368 of 17,114 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,956 of 17,140 for The Improbable, #3,887 of 17,118 for Most Ponderous Words, #4,437 of 17,113 for Most Elegant Words.
remonstrate is pronounced /ˈɹɛ.mən.stɹeɪt/.
Why “remonstrate” is a great word
To present and argue reasons in opposition or protest, especially in a formal or earnest manner. From Late Latin remōnstrāre, from Latin re- (expressing intensive force) + mōnstrāre ("to show, point out"). Unlike "demur," which suggests a polite, brief, and often hesitant objection, or "expostulate," which implies an urgent, earnest, and sometimes emotionally charged plea to dissuade, "remonstrate" carries the weight of sustained, procedural argument—the measured cadence of a written petition, the deliberate stacking of evidence in a chamber, the careful pointing-out of consequences. It is the lawyer's brief left on the judge's desk, the minority report filed against the majority's haste, the citizen standing at a council meeting with numbered points and a dry throat—reason deployed as architecture, built to outlast the heat of the moment.
Etymology
From (the participle stem of) Late Latin remōnstrō, from Latin re- + mōnstrō.
verb
- To object with in critical fashion; to express disapproval (with, against).
- Specifically, to lodge an official objection (especially by means of a remonstrance) with a monarch or other ruling body.e.g.“In 1753-4, the Parlements of Aix, Bordeaux, Rennes and Rouen remonstrated in support of the exiled Paris institution.”
- To state or plead as an objection, formal protest, or expression of disapproval.e.g.“"Belinda," remonstrated Mr. Pocket, from the other end of the table, "how can you be so unreasonable? […]"”
- To point out; to show clearly; to make plain or manifest; hence, to prove; to demonstrate.e.g.“I might remonstrate how great, and how sure , and how persevering mercies a pious father of a family may derive upon his succeeding generations”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.