as in scolded
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
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Recent Examples of berated
They were berated with demeaning and misogynistic names.
—
Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 20 Feb. 2026
Sylvia berated Lew all the way home to Weston.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
McPhatter berated the man and threw him against a patrol car twice, and when the man antagonized McPhatter from the back seat of his police cruiser, the cop reached back and grabbed the glasses off his face, prosecutors allege.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
O’Sullivan berated an on-site staff member while using more than a dozen expletives during a 47-second video of the incident.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
In 2008, towards the beginning of his presidency, Barack Obama frequently berated oil speculators for artificially inflating prices.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Davos delegates didn’t need to hear a political stump speech attacking the American president or be berated by a governor for also not beating up on him.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Milwaukee activists and residents berated Police Chief Jeffrey Norman for his trip to Israel for a six-day training session.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Minaj berated the female guard while recording the exchange.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 20 Feb. 2026
Sylvia berated Lew all the way home to Weston.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
McPhatter berated the man and threw him against a patrol car twice, and when the man antagonized McPhatter from the back seat of his police cruiser, the cop reached back and grabbed the glasses off his face, prosecutors allege.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
O’Sullivan berated an on-site staff member while using more than a dozen expletives during a 47-second video of the incident.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
In 2008, towards the beginning of his presidency, Barack Obama frequently berated oil speculators for artificially inflating prices.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Davos delegates didn’t need to hear a political stump speech attacking the American president or be berated by a governor for also not beating up on him.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Milwaukee activists and residents berated Police Chief Jeffrey Norman for his trip to Israel for a six-day training session.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Minaj berated the female guard while recording the exchange.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for berated
Verb
-
In Zambrano’s case, Gee scolded the government over how the detention unfolded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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He is being groomed, playing, testing boundaries and even being scolded which are all part of normal social learning for young macaques.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Vance’s speech got a cool reception from European leaders who said they felt lectured.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Some of us have guest lectured in his law school class on the Arkansas Constitution, and his passion for our state's rich heritage is evident.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On WhatsApp, her mother reprimanded her for being too trusting of others—even of relatives.—
Jordan Salama,
New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Last year, filmmakers who spoke out for Palestinian life and liberty from the Berlinale stage reported being aggressively reprimanded by senior festival programmers.—
William Earl,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His selection could prove awkward, as the Islamic Republic has long criticized hereditary rule and cast itself as a more just alternative.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
That proposal had been praised by some neighborhood leaders who often oppose high-rise housing in or near single-family areas, but it was harshly criticized by leaders of the development and business community.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Berated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berated. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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