1
as in attacks
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 excoriates
Smullen’s campaign launched an anti-Constantino website that excoriates him for, among many other things, his past registration as a Democrat.
—
Michael Hill,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Woodcutters sets forth the musings of a narrator sitting in an armchair at a dinner party who excoriates the literary awards establishments of his native land (and by extension all lands that are host to a robust bourgeoisie).
—
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Michael Hill,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Woodcutters sets forth the musings of a narrator sitting in an armchair at a dinner party who excoriates the literary awards establishments of his native land (and by extension all lands that are host to a robust bourgeoisie).
—
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriates
Verb
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Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms begin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Another device, called a 4-Poster bait station, attacks the ticks that congregate on deer’s heads.
Verb
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If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.
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Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
Verb
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Someone else scolds the offender.
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Inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, Cundieff makes quick work of lambasting the casual misogyny and homophobia ingrained in hardcore rap, but also of the media scolds unable to parse the message of the music.
Verb
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Taylor Sheridan slams critics Sheridan's series are all hits with regular people, but he's routinely been a target for critics.
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His hand fans out into a wave, then the door slams shut.
Verb
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The couple has been targeted by a group called Boycott Divest Zabludowicz, which criticizes them for supporting a pro-Israel lobby.
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That letter, referenced in the Brandeis Center complaint, criticizes the APA for failing to discipline a former division president, Lara Sheehi, for various incendiary comments about Zionism.
Verb
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New York City’s child welfare agency routinely abuses its emergency power to take children from their parents without a court order, creating lifelong consequences for families, a new class-action lawsuit seeking to end the practice alleged Thursday.
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People deserve a government that watches out for our people’s best interests, not one that abuses its powers and sells us to the highest bidder.
Verb
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The war in Gaza has become a dividing line between the two candidates, both of whom are Jewish, as Lander assails Goldman for not being tough enough on Israel over its military action against Palestinians.
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As an example, Vance called out an essay in The Nation that assails Kirk’s views on women, homosexuality, and affirmative action.
Verb
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Mikey lambastes him anyway, turning a speech in praise of Richie into a searing evisceration.
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Orbán frequently lambastes the EU, but its funding helped keep the country afloat despite his disastrous economic policies.
Cite this Entry
“Excoriates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriates. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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