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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Stumbling on to this ruse, Antoine’s friend and manager Armand (Gilles Lellouche) immediately can tell Suzanne is a fake and scolds her for exploiting his friend’s grief.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
12 May 2026 -
Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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For good measure, Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’zion literally licks the face of the Stones frontman, who in real life is 82 years old.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
14 May 2026
Verb
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When not writing, May frequently lectures on the politics and policies of mass incarceration for university classes, academic conferences, and online events.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
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With me, my wife lectures me more than my children.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So Daisy hides the truth from everyone but Shu.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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The virus hides out in reservoirs in the body and rebounds fast if people stop treatment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 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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Her silver nail polish—reminiscent of the shade worn by Lou Reed (from one New York legend to another) in footage shown during Todd Haynes’s documentary The Velvet Underground—sparkles as Gaga pounds the keys of her piano throughout the film.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
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That game enabled the younger brother to mentally shift from a pitcher prone to walks to a pitcher who now consistently pounds the zone.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
Verb
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While the Cuban government often blames Washington’s sanctions and trade embargo for its financial woes, GAESA’s investment strategies have also contributed to the island’s economic demise, analysts said.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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Dyer blames Washtenaw County Commission Chair Katie Scott for allegedly leaking this information to media outlets months after the investigation concluded.—
Jack Springgate,
CBS News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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In the fourth minute, Meschack Elia whips a ball across the box to Bakambu, eight yards from goal.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
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Stephen Fry whips out his phone to snag a picture with Johnny Knoxville inside the Fox Upfront 2026 afterparty in New York City on May 11.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bastes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastes. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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