scold

verb

ˈskōld 

scolded; scolding; scolds

transitive verb

: to censure usually severely or angrily : rebuke

intransitive verb

1

: to find fault noisily or angrily

2

obsolete : to quarrel noisily

scolder noun

Synonyms of scold

• reprimand
• lecture
• criticize
• blame
• admonish
• berate
• chastise

Choose the Right Synonym for scold

scold, upbraid, berate, rail, revile, vituperate mean to reproach angrily and abusively.

scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

Examples of scold in a Sentence

“You should never have done that,” she scolded.

he scolded the kids for not cleaning up the mess they had made in the kitchen

Recent Examples on the Web

And last year, Vice President Vance scolded his German hosts at the Munich Security Conference for isolating hard-right parties that organize around white nationalism. —Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026

Messi seemed to scold La Familia at one point with a finger wag aimed in their direction, showing his displeasure with their protest. —Miami Herald, 8 June 2026

Inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, Cundieff makes quick work of lambasting the casual misogyny and homophobia ingrained in hardcore rap, but also of the media scolds unable to parse the message of the music. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026

The child, now 6 years old, only hears her full name when she's being scolded — though Kendra and Bill are currently trying to undo that pattern. —Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Rhymes for scold

• bold
• bowled
• cold
• doled
• foaled
• fold
• gold
• hold
• holed
• mould
• old
• poled

Kids Definition

scold

1 of 2 noun

ˈskōld 

: a person who scolds constantly

scold

2 of 2 verb

1

: to find fault noisily or angrily

2

: to criticize severely or angrily