as in reprimand
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as in scolding
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 berating
Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
She has also been credited with a more compassionate way of hosting a cooking show, rather than the berating that previously featured on many food shows.
—Peter White, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Trump’s berating of China earlier this year has also brought rewards to Xi domestically, too.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud's berating of a Christian minister who objected to street signs named after an Arab American leader is being called out by his electoral opponent.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 1 June 2026
The Portugal midfielder was livid with his United team-mates for their role in Phil Foden’s opening goal, openly berating them as City celebrated.
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Just about the entire movie unfolds inside a beige Paris hotel suite, and then a fancy restaurant, where Philip Doom (Harrelson), who is some sort of wealthy blowhard, and his 32-year-old daughter, Madeleine (Stewart), are sitting around berating each other.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 May 2026
As the overbearing Barone family matriarch, Doris Roberts was the queen of laughs, doting on her sons, berating her two daughters-in-law and bickering with her husband.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Because Eatherly was known to openly carry a pistol while berating people, the combination could constitute assault, Raybin said.
—Travis Loller, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
And in New York, hundreds of teens flooded a mall in the Bronx in February, trashing stores and berating mall employees.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Porter, 52, said that voters should look at her record fighting corporate interests and forgive some of her past lapses, as when she was caught on video berating an aide.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The movie opens in 1966, when Michael was roughly 8 and his tyrannical father Joe, played by Colman Domingo, is beating and berating his five young sons to push them to stardom.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
Even at the best of times to carry such a shocking tale to Varsha’s mother, Dipika, would mean risking a berating and possibly even dismissal.
—Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
She has also been credited with a more compassionate way of hosting a cooking show, rather than the berating that previously featured on many food shows.
—Peter White, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Trump’s berating of China earlier this year has also brought rewards to Xi domestically, too.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud's berating of a Christian minister who objected to street signs named after an Arab American leader is being called out by his electoral opponent.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
Trump had long gone after Powell, deriding, berating and threatening to fire the ex-Fed chair.
—Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 1 June 2026
The Portugal midfielder was livid with his United team-mates for their role in Phil Foden’s opening goal, openly berating them as City celebrated.
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Just about the entire movie unfolds inside a beige Paris hotel suite, and then a fancy restaurant, where Philip Doom (Harrelson), who is some sort of wealthy blowhard, and his 32-year-old daughter, Madeleine (Stewart), are sitting around berating each other.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 May 2026
As the overbearing Barone family matriarch, Doris Roberts was the queen of laughs, doting on her sons, berating her two daughters-in-law and bickering with her husband.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Because Eatherly was known to openly carry a pistol while berating people, the combination could constitute assault, Raybin said.
—Travis Loller, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
And in New York, hundreds of teens flooded a mall in the Bronx in February, trashing stores and berating mall employees.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Porter, 52, said that voters should look at her record fighting corporate interests and forgive some of her past lapses, as when she was caught on video berating an aide.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The movie opens in 1966, when Michael was roughly 8 and his tyrannical father Joe, played by Colman Domingo, is beating and berating his five young sons to push them to stardom.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for berating
Noun
-
The judiciary's system for policing misconduct includes punishment such as informal warnings and public reprimands.—
Carrie Johnson,
NPR,
9 June 2026
-
The filing references a confidential judicial disciplinary matter within the 11th Circuit involving an unnamed federal judge who allegedly attended a partisan political event and later received a private reprimand.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
On March 12, the judge sought to change the journalists’ seating arrangement in court after scolding them for asking İmamoğlu questions during a hearing.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
9 June 2026
-
And this time, Carmen turned his sights towards Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson, scolding him for his timeout decisions.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Trump looks to shake off embarrassment Just a week ago, Trump’s pick for Iowa governor was defeated in a rare rebuke from his own party.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
-
Nowhere have such spats been more ironic than in Vance’s rebuke of the pope.—
Matthew Smith,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
College professors spend less time lecturing than a typical sportswriter creating fake controversies to criticize.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
If and until that day comes, there will be fingerpointing, lecturing and posturing, all of which has flowed freely in the wake of the Sorsby decision.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The duo’s direct clashes whiplash with motivational complexity as well as physical lashing out.—
Bob Strauss,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The duo’s direct clashes whiplash with motivational complexity as well as physical lashing out.—
Bob Strauss,
San Francisco Chronicle,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If something’s not done as far as reprimanding, what will that do to him as a student?—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
In footage that circulated on social media after Sunday's telecast, the 35-year-old Best Supporting Actress nominee and recording artist was shown reprimanding someone off camera while others stepped between them.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the appeal to you, gentle readers, to email us with your thoughts, questions, reproofs, corrections, jokes, recipes, etc.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
And unlike Gober’s ad, the ad targeting Bores from Leading the Future’s Think Big PAC leans heavily into criticizing Bores for wanting to regulate AI at the state level.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
10 Dec. 2025
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The Justice Department declined to comment on the lawsuit, pointing instead to Bondi’s earlier statements criticizing ICEBlock.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Berating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berating. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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