KEELHAULS Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

keelhauls

verb

present tense third-person singular of keelhaul

as in scolds

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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhauls

Verb

Someone else scolds the offender.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, Cundieff makes quick work of lambasting the casual misogyny and homophobia ingrained in hardcore rap, but also of the media scolds unable to parse the message of the music.

— Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026

Definition of scolds

Verb

In fact, they were borne out of more practical considerations, said Elizabeth Morton, a planning and urban design consultant who lectures at George Washington University.

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 July 2026
Today’s successful downtowns rely on a mix of ingredients, said Steven Falk, the former city manager of Lafayette, who’s served as an interim city executive in Oakland and Richmond and who lectures at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

— Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

Definition of lectures

Verb

Conversely, Kinaxis's Manik Sharma, a former Palantir executive, acknowledges FDE's potential but criticizes Palantir's execution due to engineers lacking domain knowledge.

— Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
The couple has been targeted by a group called Boycott Divest Zabludowicz, which criticizes them for supporting a pro-Israel lobby.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 June 2026

Definition of criticizes

Verb

British maritime officials report drone and projectile strikes as Qatar blames Iran, while dueling warnings over shipping routes complicate fragile talks to reopen the strait and end the conflict.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Maisel blames the short length of time between the unveiling of the initiative and President Biden leaving office - and fierce opposition from affected industries.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026

Definition of blames

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keelhauling

keelhauls

keeling

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“Keelhauls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhauls. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of keelhauls

verb

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