as in scolding
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhauling
Verb
-
But more recently, groups of citizens have grown tired of scolding and have begun reaching for the birch rod.—
Nick Bowlin,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025 -
But acknowledging, or god forbid, scolding the internet for laughing at Kirk would only give it all more power.—
Ryan Broderick,
Rolling Stone,
24 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Christian author Philip Yancey is retiring from writing and lecturing after admitting to a long-running affair with a married woman.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
After teaching at Sacramento City College and lecturing at UC Davis, Fisher moved into public history, working with the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Architectural History Department at Caltrans.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
When conversation veers into controversial territory, Gott suggests redirecting rather than reprimanding.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
-
To this end, Cucinelli urged the independent players to tap into the online commerce without betraying their identity of exclusivity and desirability, subtly reprimanding those who embraced the gray market outright.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Keelhauling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhauling. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share