FLAYING Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

flaying

verb

present participle of flay

as in scolding

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in peeling

to remove the natural covering of flayed their kill right there in the forest, taking both the meat and the skin home

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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 flaying He is said to have been martyred by flaying and beheading at the command of the Armenian king Astyages after Bartholomew converted the king’s brother. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026 The Saints also appeared to have scored a defensive touchdown when edge rusher Chase Young hit Lions QB Jared Goff hard from behind, sending the ball flaying backward toward the Detroit goal line. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 Dwight grabbed my arm, wrenching my hand out of my pocket, flaying it like a fish, pulling me along. — Literary Hub, 15 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaying

Verb

There has always been friction between Reed and Helen, but in the main, Reed has been successful in using a shifting combination of wheedling, scolding, complimenting, and threatening to ensure Helen fullfils her mission objectives.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Liev Schreiber is apologizing for scolding a reporter at the Nocturne premiere.

— Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of scolding

Verb

And what's tricky about this is Direct Instruction, the version invented by Zig, is the opposite of lecturing.

— Belinda Luscombe, Time, 5 Nov. 2026
Respondents in England and Australia were more likely to associate teaching with institutional, credentialed and paid professional roles, such as nursing, lecturing and social work.

— Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of lecturing

Verb

Vasquez additionally accused one of her supervisors of throwing a clothing hanger at Vasquez’s feet while reprimanding her.

— Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 11 Nov. 2026
Instead of reprimanding his pet, Linnetz seems to recognize the moment as a potentially good shot.

— Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of reprimanding

Verb

The Action Button has proved somewhat controversial since its release, with users on social media like Reddit criticizing its placement and sensitivity.

— Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2026
Raman pledged during her campaign to replace McDonnell, criticizing his handling of protests against federal immigration enforcement and arguing that his leadership had damaged trust in the department, particularly among immigrant communities.

— Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of criticizing

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flayed

flaying

flays

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“Flaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaying. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of flaying

verb

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