1
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
a tyrannical father who used the dinner hour to baste his children for their many perceived shortcomings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in licked
to strike repeatedly
basted the thief with a stick while he cried out for help
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Recent Examples of basted
Chicken wings basted in a tangy guava beer sauce.
—
Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Sturgeon from the Delaware River were likely fastened to a spit and basted with butter, then sprinkled with flour, nutmeg, mace, salt, sweet herbs, and breadcrumbs before being dressed in a tangy sauce that usually included anchovy, lobster, lemon, horseradish, and white wine.
—Victoria Flexner, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Sturgeon from the Delaware River were likely fastened to a spit and basted with butter, then sprinkled with flour, nutmeg, mace, salt, sweet herbs, and breadcrumbs before being dressed in a tangy sauce that usually included anchovy, lobster, lemon, horseradish, and white wine.
—Victoria Flexner, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for basted
Verb
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As the Sentinel’s Cristobal Reyes has reported, federal judges based in Orlando have scolded prosecutors multiple times in recent weeks for detaining people who should have been set free, with one judge memorably comparing the current actions of ICE to those of a third-world country.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
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No fan should be told how to follow their team, nor be scolded for feeling conflicted, especially as Spurs supporters have been put in this unenviable bind by the failings of their club — rather than the other way around.—
Dan Kilpatrick,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Just hours before Saturday morning’s Shabbat service, flames and smoke licked through the synagogue, destroying at least two Torahs and many prayer books.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
14 Jan. 2026
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When asked by director Marina Zenovich if there was a time when Chase walked away from his mother and stepfather and never saw them again, Chase pretended to swat a fly on his forehead, then licked his fingers as if eating the imaginary bug.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Michael Woroniecki lectured about Satan being a very powerful force.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
17 Jan. 2026
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If someone senses they’re being lectured or criticized, their walls will go up, and the conversation will stall.—
Devon Kuntzman,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Court documents say when the officers tried to leave, Catlett pounded on the hood and kicked the side door of their car.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Searchers looked in backyards, knocked on doors and pounded the pavement.—
Susan Young,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Routh was convicted of five counts in September after a disastrous attempt to represent himself at trial, where he was repeatedly reprimanded by the presiding judge, Aileen Cannon.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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In November, my doctor gently reprimanded me for ignoring my 2024 colonoscopy date.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The president has lashed out at current Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over the Fed's slow-and-steady approach to interest rate cuts over the last year.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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Tony Khan’s History Of Online Controversies On New Year’s Eve in 2021, Tony Khan lashed out on Twitter at former AEW star Big Swole for her complaints about AEW’s lack of diversity.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Public health experts also criticized the president for making unfounded claims about highly politicized health issues.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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Valieva’s coach, Eteri Tutberidze, is one of the most prominent figures in a coaching culture that has long been criticized for prioritizing thinness, disordered eating, and early peak performance over athletes’ well-being.—
Jasmine Wynn,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Atkinson whipped his arm against the nearby referee before the whistle was blown.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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In an age when polarized politics have whipped extremists into a frenzy and disagreeing with someone’s views justifies physical assault among fringe elements, the assault on Omar is a new abysmal milestone of societal degradation.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Basted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/basted. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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