1
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the mayor had hardly been in office for a month before she was being excoriated for problems of very long standing
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Recent Examples of excoriate
Republican lawmakers excoriated members of the majority party for advancing the plan and questioned the motivations of Newsom, who is widely expected to run for president in 2028.
—
Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Swift has no issue taking shots at the media and fans who use her relationships as a way to demean and excoriate her.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Online, fans excoriated the bright lights and banality of the revamp so aggressively that the company’s chief marketing officer paid the Reddit forum a visit to quell concerns.
—Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 8 Aug. 2025
The level of anger was quickly evident in state media broadcasts - which analysts say are often a measure of official Saudi viewpoints - with television news reports personally excoriating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
—Pesha Magid, Reuters, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Swift has no issue taking shots at the media and fans who use her relationships as a way to demean and excoriate her.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Online, fans excoriated the bright lights and banality of the revamp so aggressively that the company’s chief marketing officer paid the Reddit forum a visit to quell concerns.
—Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 8 Aug. 2025
The level of anger was quickly evident in state media broadcasts - which analysts say are often a measure of official Saudi viewpoints - with television news reports personally excoriating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
—Pesha Magid, Reuters, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriate
Verb
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Mastantuono, 18, has the characteristics to contribute from a deeper position, but his signing was intended for more attacking areas, as is being seen.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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An elderly Arkansas man is in the hospital after a black bear attacked him in Franklin County on Wednesday.—
Kris Millgate,
Outdoor Life,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sulfur dioxide and resulting vog (volcanic smog) can irritate eyes and respiratory systems, particularly in people with asthma and other chronic lung conditions, according to the Hawaii State Department of Health.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
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Not to mention, fragrances can irritate the skin.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In Part 2, viewers see Morticia scold her children for lying to her, yet Morticia is keeping secrets from Wednesday about her past and family.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Family matriarch Donna Adelson was scolded by a judge Thursday for weeping in the courtroom after being convicted of orchestrating a 2014 murder-for-hire plot of her former son-in-law, a prominent Florida State University law professor.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Six separate receivers have caught touchdown passes already this season, a stark difference from a season ago when Green was criticized for being too reliant on a small number of playmakers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
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Like Kennedy, Anderson was criticized over the eight-minute tape, which was meant for private consumption and created by consenting spouses.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The occurrences grew more aggressive over time, with the Smurls' 75-pound German shepherd getting slammed into a wall and Jack getting attacked while praying.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Sabalenka shook her head and slammed her arms by her side.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Would any self-respecting show really risk insulting the viewer’s intelligence so flagrantly?—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Trump has insulted both men about their weight.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excoriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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