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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 flaying The end came with England on 50-0, with Stokes flaying Foulkes to Mitchell at mid-on. — ABC News, 28 June 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

Remake includes footage of Adrian urging his father to consider Carr’s offer, and gently scolding him for having passed up certain opportunities to make money—money that would have made the family's life better—off his filmmaking acumen.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026
Soon though, Shawna noticed some of Zaayer's strange behaviors — including scolding her grandson, getting upset over cleaning habits and allegedly showing them racist videos.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026

Definition of scolding

Verb

Thoroughly washing or peeling any fresh fruits and veggies before consuming them is always a good idea, regardless of whether there is a Cyclospora outbreak.

— Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
That trademark indecision of summer takes root in her words and spreads through the music until her vocals diverge in the chorus, peeling like a clementine’s skin as one shrill line scales upward and the other remains monotone.

— Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026

Definition of peeling

Verb

Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Earlier this week, Scott Agness claimed his press credentials were revoked by the team after his reporting led to the WNBA reprimanding the Fever for not being transparent about Clark’s health status during a game on May 20.

— Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026

Definition of reprimanding

Verb

Larson has been using all that corporate PAC money to run an ad criticizing Bronin for accepting support from a Connecticut billionaire who has been a prolific Democratic donor.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
On Saturday, July 25, Perry, 41, shared a post on X, criticizing the use of her song.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026

Definition of criticizing

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flayed

flaying

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“Flaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaying. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of flaying

verb

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