Synonyms of berate

berate

verb

bi-ˈrāt 

as in to scold

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings

there's no need to berate someone for making a mistake during the first day on the job

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scold
• reprimand
• lecture
• criticize
• blame
• lambast
• chastise
• admonish
• upbraid
• castigate
• lambaste
• rag
• flay
• rail (at or against)
• rebuke
• call down
• mock
• ream (out)
• fault
• attack
• chide
• chew out
• dress down
• jaw
• reproach
• rant (at)
• bawl out
• lay into
• read the riot act (to)
• baste
• keelhaul
• rate
• hammer
• score
• condemn
• diss
• denounce
• excoriate
• crucify
• revile
• disparage
• take to task
• assail
• belittle
• slam
• harangue
• tongue-lash
• remonstrate (with)
• knock
• reprove
• lash
• bad-mouth
• ridicule
• reprehend
• scoff
• censure
• abuse
• vituperate
• pan
• scorn
• blast
• lace (into)
• scourge
• dis
• put down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approve
• endorse
• indorse
• sanction
• extol
• praise
• laud
• extoll

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb berate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of berate are rail, revile, scold, upbraid, and vituperate. While all these words mean "to reproach angrily and abusively," berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

When is rail a more appropriate choice than berate?

While in some cases nearly identical to berate, rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

Where would revile be a reasonable alternative to berate?

In some situations, the words revile and berate are roughly equivalent. However, revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

When could scold be used to replace berate?

The synonyms scold and berate are sometimes interchangeable, but scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

When can upbraid be used instead of berate?

The words upbraid and berate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

When would vituperate be a good substitute for berate?

The meanings of vituperate and berate largely overlap; however, vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of berate

Chris Finch, assistant Micah Nori and several players berated the crew of James Capers, Tyler Ford and Mark Lindsay for much of the fourth quarter as the Thunder pulled away. —Anthony Slater, New York Times, 21 May 2025

But Dowdell says that some of its tell-tale signs include intimidation, belittling, berating, bad-mouthing, mocking, yelling or cursing at someone, humiliation, name-calling, constant criticisms and threatening. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 15 May 2025

As Carl berates the rookie about checking the other room, a gunman comes in firing, leaving all three men in a pool of blood. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 May 2025

Medvedev, now a top security official, was responding to President Donald Trump's post on Truth Social berating his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as Moscow continued to rain strikes down on its neighbor. —Astha Rajvanshi, NBC news, 28 May 2025

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