1
as in attacking
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 excoriating
Hannah Einbinder brings vulnerability to a project that needs her brand of self-excoriating fearlessness.
—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
And she’s proven a popular voice on social media, where a recent TikTok video excoriating the Supreme Court decision on voting rights drew more than 19 million views.
—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
21 May 2026
William Hall, who represents Chatham, from excoriating the company.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
At a parliamentary hearing in 2023, MPs asked the former minister of state for development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, a series of excoriating questions about its decision to invest taxpayer money in companies accused of human rights breaches, including the Nairobi Women’s Hospital.
—
Hettie O'Brien,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
The famous detective novelist and screenwriter had written an essay for the magazine excoriating the motion-picture industry and its tolerance for—indeed celebration of—mindless mediocrity.
—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
The president often has chosen a combative approach, even excoriating Democrats during the bipartisan prayer breakfast this year, Upton noted.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya raised these points when excoriating siblings studies on social media in September.
—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
16 Jan. 2026
The beat resumed, the volume its usual excoriating self, Shields’ guitar reprogrammed to give a hint of body-moving swing.
—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Nov. 2025
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
And she’s proven a popular voice on social media, where a recent TikTok video excoriating the Supreme Court decision on voting rights drew more than 19 million views.
—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
21 May 2026
William Hall, who represents Chatham, from excoriating the company.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
At a parliamentary hearing in 2023, MPs asked the former minister of state for development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, a series of excoriating questions about its decision to invest taxpayer money in companies accused of human rights breaches, including the Nairobi Women’s Hospital.
—
Hettie O'Brien,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
The famous detective novelist and screenwriter had written an essay for the magazine excoriating the motion-picture industry and its tolerance for—indeed celebration of—mindless mediocrity.
—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
The president often has chosen a combative approach, even excoriating Democrats during the bipartisan prayer breakfast this year, Upton noted.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya raised these points when excoriating siblings studies on social media in September.
—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
16 Jan. 2026
The beat resumed, the volume its usual excoriating self, Shields’ guitar reprogrammed to give a hint of body-moving swing.
—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriating
Verb
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He is accused of attacking a 27-year-old man with a beer mug inside the Hula Bar on Saturday night.
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Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
Verb
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But for those who just want to grab a bite or see a movie at the IMAX theater, the security protocol is an additional — possibly irritating — barrier.
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The active ingredients in the formula include niacinamide, adenosine, and allantoin, which work together to brighten dark circles, smooth fine lines, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles without irritating sensitive skin.
Verb
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An on-and-off again rivalry during the primary The two men shared a similar message during the primary, slamming Democrats for mismanaging the state and calling for tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks.
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Also in 2007, Spencer was sentenced concurrently to seven years in prison for choking a woman, slamming her head to the ground, and robbing her of her cellphone, and for smashing into a woman's car and ransacking it, prosecutors said.
Verb
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In April, when Rojas got news that his father had been rushed to the hospital, Roberts quickly took the decision on whether to play out of Rojas’ hands, scratching him from the lineup.
-
Drug companies are experimenting with other approaches called MRGPRX2 blockers that target the pathway Kaplan’s team linked to scratching.
Verb
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This ancient poem isn’t interested in scolding women for their sexuality, but in the establishment of honor in the elite household.
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The princess hilariously put her little brother in his place by scolding him.
Verb
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But this adjustable Oxo measuring cup will save you time that would otherwise be spent scraping every last bit of peanut butter from the measuring cup.
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If cinema is a sinking vessel, as so many are eager to suggest, its rusty hull may yet contain treasures worth scraping off and scrutinizing anew.
Verb
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Several had a history of criticizing vaccine recommendations or questioning their safety.
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From Lebanon, Ghosn seized the moment, criticizing current leadership and offering himself as a solution.
Cite this Entry
“Excoriating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriating. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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