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
During a fiery congressional hearing last month, Democrats excoriated Bondi over haphazard redactions in the Epstein files that exposed intimate details about victims and included nude photographs.
—
Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
During a fiery congressional hearing last month, Democrats excoriated Bondi over haphazard redactions in the Epstein files that exposed intimate details about victims and included nude photographs.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Since the Whitney Biennial was founded in 1932, art-world denizens and casual observers alike have relished the opportunity both to champion and excoriate the slates of artists put forward.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026
Craig Aaron, the co-CEO of Free Press, a consumer advocacy group, excoriated the potential WBD-Paramount merger, warning of dire consequences for the news media.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
During a fiery congressional hearing last month, Democrats excoriated Bondi over haphazard redactions in the Epstein files that exposed intimate details about victims and included nude photographs.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Since the Whitney Biennial was founded in 1932, art-world denizens and casual observers alike have relished the opportunity both to champion and excoriate the slates of artists put forward.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026
Craig Aaron, the co-CEO of Free Press, a consumer advocacy group, excoriated the potential WBD-Paramount merger, warning of dire consequences for the news media.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriate
Verb
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Clayton Peavey, 31, used a concrete brick to attack a Chick-fil-A employee in March, leaving her with several gashes on her head and requiring stitches.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
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Mendoza is accurate to all three levels of the field and has developed a great understanding of when and where to attack down the field.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That gas can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
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But all the soundbites — the quick, random noises that seem to irritate fans the most — don’t always get noticed by players.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Leon scolded Justice Department attorneys for arguing that the entire project needed to go forward for national security reasons, before previously distinguishing between the bunker below ground and the ballroom above ground.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
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Government officials scolded young people for the signs of disrespect.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wembanyama lurched forward, toppled and slammed the right side of his face on the floor.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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Their 4-3 advantage set the stage for KC’s bullpen to slam the door.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wolves coach Chris Finch criticized his team’s lack of composure.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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One of the easier things to do is criticize without offering solutions.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Haulcy plays like somebody insulted his family before kickoff.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Trump has threatened to fire Powell a number of times, as well as insulted his character and policies.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excoriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriate. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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