1
as in scolds
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in licks
to strike repeatedly
basted the thief with a stick while he cried out for help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastes
Verb
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While some online scolds didn’t like Johnson’s profanity, this has played well in Chicago, a city that has been ravenous for a winning Bears team since the 20th Super Bowl.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026 -
Or on Bluesky with the joke scolds, or on Mastodon with the Linux hackers, or on Threads with the voice-forward brands?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
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After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Simon Maghakyan lectures on the 20th anniversary of the destruction of Djulfa in December 2025.—
Simon Maghakyan,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
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In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead of correcting the error, the scheming matriarch hides him in the attic and collects a life insurance payout.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
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He is detached and hides behind a camera.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the present, Simon (now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) pounds his car’s steering wheel, driving away from wreckage.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
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The claw then releases the broken bikes and pounds them down once more for good measure.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pakistan blames Afghans for suicide bombings Militant violence has surged in Pakistan in recent years, much of it blamed on the TTP and outlawed Baloch separatist groups.—
Munir Ahmed,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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Our leadership blames wind and solar for grid issues, but the 2021 freeze proved the real culprit was a lack of preparation by the state and power generators.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Benbrook whips Diamond Hill-Jarvis Benbrook stayed on pace for a playoff berth in District 8-4A as the Lady Bobcats thumped Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 55-7.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bastes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastes. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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