scold
noun
\
Definition of scold
(Entry 1 of 2)
scold
verbDefinition of scold (Entry 2 of 2)
Keep scrolling for more
Synonyms for scold
Synonyms: Verb
baste, bawl out, berate, call down, castigate, chastise, chew out, dress down, flay, hammer, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture, rag, rail (at or against), rant (at), rate, ream (out), rebuke, reprimand, reproach, score, tongue-lash, upbraid
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of scold in a Sentence
Noun
He can be a bit of a scold sometimes.Verb
“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: Noun
Lately, the scold has been ascendant, and some tech companies deserve a scolding and worse. — Owen Thomas, SFChronicle.com, "Tech is good. Tech is bad. Should it make us mad — or glad?," 3 July 2019 Who better to tackle this subject than history scold Phil Goodstein? — Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, "Regional books: “Denver School Book,” “Aloha Rodeo” and more," 13 June 2019 But analysts aren’t convinced that the United States will do much more than scold. — Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, "Will Sudan’s military crush hope for democracy?," 5 June 2019 The sclerotic leadership of the Democratic Party and the ponderous scolds at the New York Times speak to the fierce urgency of someday, maybe. — Kevin Baker, Harper's magazine, "Where Our New World Begins," 10 May 2019 The letter, which is twice as long as the press release, is a masterpiece of pure scold. — WSJ, "Notable & Quotable: Yale Law," 15 July 2018 Pollan’s literary persona has a rare, almost Thoreauvian affect: the lovable scold. — Tom Bissell, New York Times, "Michael Pollan Drops Acid — and Comes Back From His Trip Convinced," 4 June 2018 Sotomayor compared Trump's policy to the internment of Japanese Americans that was upheld by the Supreme Court during World War II, an assertion that drew a scold from Roberts, but which resonated with Carson and Ellison. — Richard Wolf, Indianapolis Star, "Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's travel ban a 'shameful sanctioning of discrimination,' Andre Carson says," 26 June 2018 Out on the course, a pair of Eastern kingbirds pugnaciously defended territory against all comers, all the while giving their characteristic tinkling scold. — Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, "Chasing rarities can be fun, but enjoy the common species, too," 6 June 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Stephens, in an email, scolded Karpf for his comment and copied the provost at the professor's university. — Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, "'Tough guy!': Trump mocks NYT columnist Bret Stephens for bedbug reaction," 28 Aug. 2019 Some angry young kids shouted at them to leave, and an elderly man from the neighborhood, a local grocer, stepped between the boys and the Biharis and scolded the kids for shouting at them. — Time, "The Indian Government Insists All Is Well in Kashmir. But As the Communications Shutdown Continues, Its Citizens Are Struggling to Reach the Outside World," 23 Aug. 2019 Northam, a Democrat, also took the chance to scold Republican lawmakers for failing to enact gun-control legislation. — Washington Post, "Gov. Northam touts Virginia economy but says downturn could be looming," 20 Aug. 2019 It was surprisingly ended by Jess of all people, who scolded the mothers for risking ruining the legacy left behind by JoJo and her fellow team mates. — Laura Hanrahan, Woman's Day, "Watch 'Dance Moms' Stars Elliana Walmsley and Lilly Ketchman Recreate Jojo Siwa’s Solos," 27 July 2019 The Wall Street Journal’s story on sick-shaming—in which healthy colleagues scold their sick peers for showing up to work—inspired hundreds of reader emails, comments and posts on social media. — Chip Cutter, WSJ, "Can You Really Take That Sick Day? Readers React to Office Sick-Shaming," 30 Jan. 2019 After a long day’s work, Shion returns home just in time to scold Yuudai for not washing his dinner dishes. — Mariah Smith, The Cut, "You Need an Emotional Support System to Watch This Episode of Terrace House," 17 Apr. 2018 That person was scolded by yet another armchair pundit—perhaps unfairly, because Boston actually makes a similar point describing her life for the past 10 years. — Lila Maclellan, Quartz at Work, "Lessons from a young professional who just finished repaying $222,817.26 of student loans," 22 Aug. 2019 After a year of work, the committee scolded the school board for ignoring its recommendations. — Sarah Schweitzer, The Atlantic, "The Lunch Ladies of New Canaan," 15 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scold.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for scold
scold
noun
English Language Learners Definition of scold
(Entry 1 of 2)
scold
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of scold (Entry 2 of 2)
See the full definition for scold in the English Language Learners Dictionary
scold
verb
\
Kids Definition of scold
(Entry 1 of 2)
scold
nounKids Definition of scold (Entry 2 of 2)
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on scold
What made you want to look up scold? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Musical Words Quiz
-
- Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share scold
Resources for scold