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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in reprimand
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Recent Examples of berating
Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Current and former division attorneys interviewed by ProPublica and The Chronicle said the lawyers had misgivings about the administration’s tactics and were reluctant to work with Terrell, who already had a reputation for berating staffers.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025
Devon Hogan Flanagan, a special assistant attorney general in Rhode Island, who was caught on video berating police officers trying to remove her from a restaurant after she was asked to leave, has been placed on unpaid leave for six months.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2025
Ellis also accused the rapper of berating and body-shaming her and spitting on her.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The sheriff should be berating the mayor and commissioners, who decide how to spend city money.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
After the report, an aide to Marte, Steven Wong, sent the journalist voice messages berating her with misogynistic slurs.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
After berating Beijing for its restrictions, Washington is putting up the same barriers.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
Don’t compound your child’s guilt and discomfort by berating them for their scratching.
—Andy Collinson, Health, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
LaFleur got into a verbal altercation with a Detroit Lions fan before a game and received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for berating an official in a loss to Minnesota.
—Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Current and former division attorneys interviewed by ProPublica and The Chronicle said the lawyers had misgivings about the administration’s tactics and were reluctant to work with Terrell, who already had a reputation for berating staffers.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025
Devon Hogan Flanagan, a special assistant attorney general in Rhode Island, who was caught on video berating police officers trying to remove her from a restaurant after she was asked to leave, has been placed on unpaid leave for six months.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2025
Ellis also accused the rapper of berating and body-shaming her and spitting on her.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The sheriff should be berating the mayor and commissioners, who decide how to spend city money.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
After the report, an aide to Marte, Steven Wong, sent the journalist voice messages berating her with misogynistic slurs.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
After berating Beijing for its restrictions, Washington is putting up the same barriers.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
Don’t compound your child’s guilt and discomfort by berating them for their scratching.
—Andy Collinson, Health, 19 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for berating
Noun
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He was temporarily banned from attending department meetings, and a letter of reprimand was added to his file.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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This does actually include a free pass to go potty in any location of their choosing at any time without consequence or reprimand.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Faculty across the state rebuked it as an infringement on academic freedom and warned of a mass chilling effect on free speech and lecturing on divisive topics.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Leaders listen instead of lecturing.—
W. Jeff Williams,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The ruling landed as a symbolic rebuke of Musk’s sway over Tesla, and a warning about the excesses of Silicon Valley’s cult-of-founder ethos.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
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Both China and North Korea have remained steadfast supporters of Putin during his war in Ukraine and amid rebuke from the West.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jeff Tillotson, a lawyer for Teleport, blamed the missing lashing on a contractor, who is not a party to the lawsuit.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
21 Aug. 2025
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The way that today’s politics works, that should have earned me a lashing on social media.—
Joanna Allhands,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
Verb
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams has peppered his reelection campaign with AI photos and videos criticizing his opponents, in some of the first indications of how the technology will be integrated into politics.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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It's believed that Sczczerek chose to share the statement from his business' social media account after the company was flooded with negative reviews criticizing his behavior.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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
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Advertisement China’s Foreign Ministry also issued a vehement reproof.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The elaborate deception also was concealed by blaming the chaos of the pandemic as well as the Hollywood labor strikes, which roiled real production cycles during this period.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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Netanyahu has repeatedly attempted to deflect responsibility for the security lapses during the attacks of October 7, 2023, blaming security chiefs instead.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mourinho’s arrival at United was a response to some of the criticisms directed at his predecessor, Louis van Gaal.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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Much of his criticism originates to when Elon Musk, a South African native, was a member of his administration.—
Emily Goodin,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Berating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berating. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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