as in criticized
to subject (someone) to harsh public criticism
The press pilloried the judge for her decision.
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Recent Examples of pilloried
Dem leadership has been pilloried by Dem voters for rolling over and not standing up to Trump.
—
Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
That creates an uneventful race, like the one at Bristol earlier this spring, which had just four lead changes in 500 laps; afterward, fans pilloried the quality of the action on social media and satellite radio.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Musk was pilloried by the woke crowd for making this an issue.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
The series has never strived to be anything more than opulent fluff, but it still gets consistently pilloried for its lack of realism.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
That creates an uneventful race, like the one at Bristol earlier this spring, which had just four lead changes in 500 laps; afterward, fans pilloried the quality of the action on social media and satellite radio.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Musk was pilloried by the woke crowd for making this an issue.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
The series has never strived to be anything more than opulent fluff, but it still gets consistently pilloried for its lack of realism.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilloried
Verb
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While some people shared Musk’s enthusiasm, others criticized the decision.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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Some council members have criticized the proposal, citing a lack of communication and calling the move premature.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some of their struggles can be blamed on a tough slate of defenses.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Shackleton blamed the sinking of the Endurance on the destruction of its rudder; for more than a century, historians accepted this explanation.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chun also scolded attorneys for Amazon in July for withholding thousands of documents from the FTC and abusing a legal privilege to shield them from scrutiny.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
23 Sep. 2025
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The heartwarming video, shared on Saturday by @inboxunknown15, shows the pup sitting head down, facing the wall, looking sad and ashamed after being scolded by his owner’s girlfriend.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Over the centuries she’s been branded a traitor, condemned as a nymphomaniac, diagnosed as a sociopath and — more recently — defended as a victim of circumstances.—
Phillipa Gregory,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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Earlier the Democratic governor condemned a sweeping overnight raid carried out by federal authorities at a Chicago apartment building earlier this week.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In more strongly Democratic seats, where most primary challenges are unfolding, progressive candidates have preemptively denounced AIPAC and promised not to seek its support, or have otherwise broken with party leaders on Israel.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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The age of the Ayatollahs After the fall of the Shah in January 1979, the nascent Islamic Republic denounced his aggressive modernization drive inspired by the West.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pilloried.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilloried. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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