as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
got bawled out by the boss for missing another important deadline
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawling out
Verb
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This way of peering at screen culture from an inexact distance, which also comes up in a scolding scene where Ethan scrolls aimlessly through something like TikTok, rankles in a play that is otherwise so precise about physical time and space.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025 -
Like an impatient parent scolding their toddler, Frankenstein grows frustrated with his monster’s limited capacity for speech.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Christian author Philip Yancey is retiring from writing and lecturing after admitting to a long-running affair with a married woman.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
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After teaching at Sacramento City College and lecturing at UC Davis, Fisher moved into public history, working with the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Architectural History Department at Caltrans.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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When conversation veers into controversial territory, Gott suggests redirecting rather than reprimanding.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
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To this end, Cucinelli urged the independent players to tap into the online commerce without betraying their identity of exclusivity and desirability, subtly reprimanding those who embraced the gray market outright.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The cozy piece marked an ideal autumnal staple, with a multifaceted design for dressing up or dressing down, depending on the occasion.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
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The timeless look is versatile enough for dressing down with a pair of jeans and a sweater or elevating with a maxi dress and some gold jewelry.—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The next day, in an email, Wynn appears to explain, blaming a dollar figure for teachers’ benefits that was mistakenly counted twice.—
Jennifer Palmer,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Jan. 2026
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Discussions about the strike and closure online often turn ugly and devolve into blaming one side or the other.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bawling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawling%20out. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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