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excoriate

verb

ek-ˈskȯr-ē-ˌāt How to pronounce excoriate (audio)
Definition of excoriatenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to irritate
to make sore by continued rubbing the manacles had badly excoriated the prisoner's wrists

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 excoriate Rahm Emanuel, a former congressman, White House chief of staff and mayor of Chicago, made a stop at Tel Aviv University in July to excoriate Netanyahu for turning Israel into an international outcast. — Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 In a press conference after the hearing, officials sent their condolences to Thompson’s family, while excoriating those who glorified Mangione. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026 While excoriating the loss of his visa, López Beltrán also painted a dystopian picture of present-day life north of the border. — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Nearly five years ago, the district attorney of Onondaga County, William Fitzpatrick, stood up in court and excoriated his county’s decision decades earlier to prosecute Anthony Broadwater for the rape of author Alice Sebold. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriate
  1. attack
  2. irritate
  3. scold
  4. slam
  5. criticize
  6. insult
Verb
  • Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone leaders say the pastor’s words attack their identity and echo past religious assimilation, spurring weekly demonstrations and new rules requiring outside ministries to seek tribal approval.
    — Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • To beat the odds, founders need to plan for a long-term goal that is relevant and achievable, then attack it in a series of sprints that enable incremental growth.
    — Deann Evans, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Verb
  • Leftover detergent or fabric softener can irritate skin and cause itching or redness in some individuals.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Excessive or undiluted consumption of ACV, for example, can irritate your gastrointestinal tract, erode tooth enamel, and potentially interact with certain medications, said Walker.
    — Sherri Gordon, HEALTH, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Historically, the United States has sent mixed messages to Europeans, encouraging them to step up but then scolding them for seeking autonomy.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In fact, during testing, the handheld triggered nostalgic memories of playing Final Fantasy Legend and Mario Land 2 on long car rides to my grandparents' house, but without the eye strain and being scolded for playing in the dark as the sun set.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of scold
Verb
  • He was still getting frustrated a little bit, slamming his helmet.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The gallery watched with rapt attention as Reddington gestured wildly, slammed his hand down and threw a stack of papers onto the bench.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of slam
Verb
  • Festival in London, which featured performances from Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean (though their set was abruptly cut short due to a noise ordinance, which Chappelle criticized).
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The Herald previously reported that employees and former employees had criticized 21 Air for its unsafe working conditions.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of criticize
Verb
  • There were also insulting chants against Sanchez, another sign of the noisy debate over the government's handling of the crisis.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Platner also apologized for old online comments that included insulting language about women, police and rural residents.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of insult

Browse Nearby Words

excommunications
excoriate
excoriated
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Cite this Entry

“Excoriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriate. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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