Synonyms of excoriate

excoriate

verb

ek-ˈskȯr-ē-ˌāt 

1

as in to attack

to criticize harshly and usually publicly

the mayor had hardly been in office for a month before she was being excoriated for problems of very long standing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attack
• scold
• slam
• criticize
• insult
• assail
• castigate
• savage
• lambaste
• abuse
• vituperate
• blast
• jump (on)
• bash
• tie into
• belabor
• harass
• scathe
• berate
• curse
• revile
• potshot
• sail into
• disparage
• trash
• beat up on
• harangue
• reprimand
• vilify
• blaspheme
• chide
• chastise
• belittle
• affront
• execrate
• light into
• harry
• slander
• libel
• imprecate
• bad-mouth
• asperse
• profane
• fulminate
• slur
• traduce
• blackguard
• rebuke
• whip
• lash (out)
• lace (into)
• put down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• commend
• praise
• compliment
• hail
• laud
• acclaim

2

as in to irritate

to make sore by continued rubbing

the manacles had badly excoriated the prisoner's wrists

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritate
• scratch
• scrape
• fret
• chafe
• gall
• abrade
• skin
• graze
• burn
• peel
• inflame
• flay

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of excoriate

Terence Tao, a renowned mathematician and leading authority on differential equations, excoriated what AI was doing to the field. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026

Hanaway’s application caps off a day of anger for Missouri Republicans who spent much of Friday excoriating the state Supreme Court’s decision. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026

Indeed, excoriating the high prices of this year’s tournament has turned into a social media subgenre of its own. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Rahm Emanuel, a former congressman, White House chief of staff and mayor of Chicago, made a stop at Tel Aviv University in July to excoriate Netanyahu for turning Israel into an international outcast. — Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

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