Synonyms of excoriating

excoriating

verb

present participle of excoriate

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attacking
• slamming
• scolding
• criticizing
• scathing
• blasting
• abusing
• insulting
• savaging
• assailing
• lambasting
• castigating
• bashing
• cursing
• trashing
• jumping (on)
• harassing
• belaboring
• tying into
• berating
• vituperating
• sailing into
• reprimanding
• haranguing
• reviling
• potshotting
• disparaging
• harrying
• blaspheming
• execrating
• affronting
• belittling
• chiding
• vilifying
• slandering
• chastising
• beating up on
• fulminating
• whipping
• libeling
• slurring
• lighting into
• profaning
• rebuking
• traducing
• imprecating
• bad-mouthing
• aspersing
• blackguarding
• lashing (out)
• lacing (into)
• putting down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praising
• commending
• complimenting
• hailing
• lauding
• acclaiming

2

as in irritating

to make sore by continued rubbing

the manacles had badly excoriated the prisoner's wrists

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritating
• scratching
• scraping
• fretting
• chafing
• galling
• burning
• abrading
• grazing
• peeling
• skinning
• inflaming
• flaying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of excoriating

Several readers have spoken of appreciation for the columns of mine that intersected sports and society, such as excoriating the NFL for its blackballing of Colin Kaepernick. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Martin Sherman’s play Bent (1979), an excoriating account of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals that is also a story of love between two men in the most terrible circumstances, belongs to this select category. — Simon Callow, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026

Hanaway’s application caps off a day of anger for Missouri Republicans who spent much of Friday excoriating the state Supreme Court’s decision. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026

Indeed, excoriating the high prices of this year’s tournament has turned into a social media subgenre of its own. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 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

The rules governing red cards are sacrosanct in the international game, and Belgium were joined by legions of federations, fans, pundits, heads of state and former referees in excoriating FIFA for the decision to let Balogun play. — Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 7 July 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