keelhauled

verb

past tense of keelhaul
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings there's no need to keelhaul him—it was an honest mistake, and a small one at that

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhauled
  1. scolded
  2. reprimanded
  3. lectured
  4. blamed
Verb
  • In fact, during testing, the handheld triggered nostalgic memories of playing Final Fantasy Legend and Mario Land 2 on long car rides to my grandparents' house, but without the eye strain and being scolded for playing in the dark as the sun set.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026
  • For over a year, the White House has scolded and threatened the Smithsonian.
    — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of scolded
Verb
  • Judge William Sullivan declined to declare a mistrial but sharply reprimanded the prosecution and told the jury to disregard Heilbrun’s statements on Clancy’s faith.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit says the officer was reprimanded and removed from further field training of Wadell.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of reprimanded
Verb
  • Luann patiently attempts to explain that the women don’t like being lectured to about their business affairs, only for Vicki to abruptly answer a phone call mid-conversation.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • We’re also lectured early on that Cole is a chess master, but his alleged intelligence never pays off.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of lectured
Verb
  • Water security India moved to put the treaty in abeyance in April last year following a militant attack in Kashmir, for which Delhi blamed Pakistan but Islamabad denied involvement.
    — Sam Meredith,Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Officials blamed that attack on the National Liberation Army, Colombia’s largest remaining rebel group.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of blamed
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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Cite this Entry

“Keelhauled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhauled. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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