chewing out 1 of 2

noun

as in rebuke

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chewing out

2 of 2

verb

present participle of chew out
as in scolding
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chewing out
Verb
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chewing out
  1. rebuke
  2. scolding
  3. attack
  4. lecturing
  5. reprimand
  6. calling down
  7. criticism
  8. reprimanding
Noun
  • The attorney general's request sparked a public rebuke from the palace, which said that King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s prerogative of pardon for Najib that allowed the house arrest was clear and must be respected.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • And then there’s the more general rebuke of the future the tech industry is building, and the possible implications for an economy that’s increasingly come to revolve around it.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of rebuke
Verb
  • There has always been friction between Reed and Helen, but in the main, Reed has been successful in using a shifting combination of wheedling, scolding, complimenting, and threatening to ensure Helen fullfils her mission objectives.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Liev Schreiber is apologizing for scolding a reporter at the Nocturne premiere.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of scolding
Noun
  • The Hope spent much of its time ferrying sailors and the wounded from other ships or ports to military hospitals, and like the Comfort, it too was attacked multiple times, though each attack failed, usually just missing the ship.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Following the Halle synagogue attack, Germany provided 22 million euros in special federal funding for physical and technical security at Jewish sites.
    — Marc Schneier, New York Daily News, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of attack
Verb
  • Respondents in England and Australia were more likely to associate teaching with institutional, credentialed and paid professional roles, such as nursing, lecturing and social work.
    — Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For decades, Zinn traveled the country lecturing to packed auditoriums.
    — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lecturing
Noun
  • If anything, the person’s response should have included the pertinent information; not a reprimand.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Advertisement Federal employees can face several civil penalties if they are found to have violated the Hatch Act, however, including a fine, a suspension, or a letter of reprimand.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of reprimand
Verb
  • This year, the irrigators began calling down water on July 1, boosting flows in the Colorado River.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 16 July 2026
Definition of calling down
Noun
  • This dynamic drew criticism from readers — and, later, a response from Berry.
    — August Lamm, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Speaking in Spanish, Leo emphasized the importance of protecting family life and delivered a pointed criticism of both laws.
    — Carrie Kahn, NPR, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of criticism
Verb
  • Instead of reprimanding his pet, Linnetz seems to recognize the moment as a potentially good shot.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The audience awkwardly chuckles, and Scovel, eyes still closed, begins reprimanding them.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of reprimanding

Browse Nearby Words

chewing on
chewing out
chewing over
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chewing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chewing%20out. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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