as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
the coach chews out even the stars of the team if they fail to show up for practice
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Recent Examples of chew out
Instead of the standard chewing out, the senior played a clip of his freshman defensive back counterpart recognizing a screen, shedding a block and securing the first solo tackle of his career against No. 5 Georgia last week.
—
Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Being chewed out was nothing new, part of life as a football player.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The episode ends with Kyle’s mom chewing out Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions in the ongoing war.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
About eight or nine hours into a punishing shoot, nerves were fraying, and Mike McGuirk was getting chewed out by a camera operator.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Instances when the coach chewed out the quarterback for being late on a throw.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But to chew out his boss--Edwin Stanton, secretary of war--would be more than just getting close to the line of insubordination.
—arkansasonline.com, 12 Feb. 2025
Judge is chewing out the parties.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
We're used to seeing movies with grizzled white guys playing leathery military men chewing out their platoons on the regular.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Being chewed out was nothing new, part of life as a football player.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The episode ends with Kyle’s mom chewing out Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions in the ongoing war.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
About eight or nine hours into a punishing shoot, nerves were fraying, and Mike McGuirk was getting chewed out by a camera operator.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Instances when the coach chewed out the quarterback for being late on a throw.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But to chew out his boss--Edwin Stanton, secretary of war--would be more than just getting close to the line of insubordination.
—arkansasonline.com, 12 Feb. 2025
Judge is chewing out the parties.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
We're used to seeing movies with grizzled white guys playing leathery military men chewing out their platoons on the regular.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chew out
Verb
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Also on hand to scold him out of his funk is Henry’s uncle, Lord Norton (Andrew Havill), a newspaper publisher of waning influence.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Sanders, by now a perennial candidate, perfected his craggy, scolding, mitten-waving style.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
-
At her event, Acosta will lecture and facilitate a discussion about the Jeanes Supervisors.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
So far, none of the agents involved in the shootings has been publicly suspended or reprimanded.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a comparable case in the United States in 2023, a federal judge imposed $5,000 fines on two lawyers and a law firm after ChatGPT was blamed for their submission of fictitious legal research in an aviation injury claim.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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That leaves them out of pocket, at risk of reputational damage and in danger of losing customers who blame them, rather than the cloud services provider, for the problem.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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No less than a half-dozen GOP senators publicly criticized the Department of Justice for investigating Powell over Hill testimony last year about the Fed headquarters’ renovation.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Last week, Graham Knaus, the chief executive of the California State Association of Counties, criticized Newsom’s budget for not responding to the cost burdens shifting to local governments.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Women stopped to bawl out the police, who accepted this dressing-down with quiet embarrassment.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
11 Aug. 2020
Verb
-
Derpetrossian was working with a hot shot crew with the Angeles National Forest when he got called down to help fight fires that were popping up around Los Angeles while the Palisades Fire wreaked havoc on the city’s Westside.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
17 Jan. 2026
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Scott said, when he was called down to the lobby, James threatened his family.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chew out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chew%20out. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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