flays

verb

present tense third-person singular of flay
1
as in scolds
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
2
as in peels
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flays
  1. scolds
  2. peels
  3. lectures
  4. barks
  5. reprimands
  6. blames
  7. criticizes
Verb
  • Some intergenerational sparring ensues, as Kevin scolds Arthur for his more outré boomer comments, and Arthur in turn sneers at his grandson’s millennial lameness.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The audience screams in response, and Scovel scolds them again but this time with a smile.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of scolds
Verb
  • Across the conference table, Sosanya plays Beatrice like steel swaddled in cashmere, while Miles Jupp, as her colleague David, peels away his genteel snobbery to reveal an unexpectedly dorky underbelly.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
  • As autumn progresses, the husk peels back, revealing the orange berries.
    — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of peels
Verb
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Professors structure lectures with an awareness of how a sentence might circulate online.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of lectures
Verb
  • Others work automatically whenever the canine barks too loudly or too much.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • New people can still require an adjustment period for Lainey, who initially barks when meeting someone unfamiliar.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of barks
Verb
  • Being a fly on the wall is precisely what Hard Knocks makes viewers feel like in the moment when Head Coach Mike Macdonald reprimands linebacker Derick Hall for getting too close to a quarterback.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The emperor reprimands her for being late for the rainmaking ritual.
    — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Definition of reprimands
Verb
  • The Tracy camp blames that on the Democrat’s lack of engagement.
    — Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Cohen blames other departments’ delays in turning over data as part of the reason for its chronic lateness.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of blames
Verb
  • The piece also criticizes media and academic discussions that portray Latino men and Latinas as politically opposed blocs.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The Bolsonaro reaction Flávio Bolsonaro, by contrast, criticizes Brazilian democratic institutions – particularly the Supreme Court and the electoral system – as obstacles to restoring the country’s political order.
    — Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of criticizes
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.

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flaying
flays
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Cite this Entry

“Flays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flays. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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