variants
or lambasts
1
as in scolds
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
the director lambasted them mercilessly for forgetting their lines during the final dress rehearsal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacks
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
movie critics across the country lambasted the film for its contrived plot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in licks
to strike repeatedly
like all westerns, this movie contains the requisite scene of saloon patrons lambasting each other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lambastes
Verb
-
While some online scolds didn’t like Johnson’s profanity, this has played well in Chicago, a city that has been ravenous for a winning Bears team since the 20th Super Bowl.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026 -
Or on Bluesky with the joke scolds, or on Mastodon with the Linux hackers, or on Threads with the voice-forward brands?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Is a taboo crossed when someone attacks?—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune, inflammatory form of arthritis, meaning a person’s immune system attacks their joints, causing substantial inflammation.—
Kevin Deane,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
-
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Continue reading … NEWSROOM REVOLT – Tensions rise at '60 Minutes' as Scott Pelley reportedly criticizes Bari Weiss.—
,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Inuit council criticizes White House statements The dispute is looming large in the lives of Greenlanders.—
Daniel Niemann,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Continue reading … POLITICS BAD CALL – Trump admin slams Dems’ ‘call 911 on ICE’ push as reckless, links policy to riots and violent arrests.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Winter storm slams the East While Arizona's system is mostly a light-rain and mountain-snow setup, a sprawling winter storm is creating far bigger problems across the eastern half of the country.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The wrap-design, complete with pleated detailing around the waist, hides the midsection and highlights your natural shape without clinging too much.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This wasn’t the reassuring notion that transcendence hides within the everyday.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The same government that lectures Beijing about state capitalism and nonmarket behaviors now practices it at home.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But Andres Bernal, a political analyst who lectures at the City University of New York, thinks many young voters look at Cuomo's history of controversy and are reminded of the Democratic Party establishment that has left them disillusioned.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the present, Simon (now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) pounds his car’s steering wheel, driving away from wreckage.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The claw then releases the broken bikes and pounds them down once more for good measure.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Jan. 2026
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
“Lambastes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lambastes. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
