pilloried

past tense of pillory

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pilloried Several weeks later, Escobar’s staffer, who had previously entered the facility without incident, was identified by ICE and pilloried on Fox News for, according to the agency, trying to gain entry by falsely claiming to be a lawyer. Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 Though the recent season had already filmed prior to Wilson and Batula revealing their connection, the two got pilloried at the three-part reunion by their castmates. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 29 June 2026 At the time, this movie was pilloried by most critics. Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 24 June 2026 Monroe was pilloried, in her moment, but she was also allowed by Hollywood to test her talents in a manner that, decades later, actresses known for their physicality still struggle to do. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 1 June 2026 The franchise’s last movie, 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, was pilloried by critics and fans, though still managed to squeak past the $1 billion mark globally (people wanted to see how the Skywalker Saga story concluded, but were decidedly unimpressed with the result). Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 The acerbic toon has aired more than 330 episodes and pilloried scores of subjects and celebrities since its 1997 launch. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 19 May 2026 But those who voted for a non-binding pro-ICE resolution have been pilloried for it. David Weigel, semafor.com, 18 May 2026 The prince was himself pilloried for wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party 20 ‌years ago and ​also acknowledged this. Reuters, NBC news, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilloried
Verb
  • Musk moved both of those companies to Texas in recent years and has loudly criticized both California and Delaware (where a Tesla shareholder sued him over his record-setting compensation).
    Maria Aspan, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In 2014, Cuban criticized the NFL for expanding its schedule to have games on more days of the week.
    Jon Machota, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • These CMOs typically last two to three years before growth plateaus despite rising spend, and they either get blamed for a weak pipeline or move to a role with cleaner metrics and smaller scope.
    Vlada Grebenykova, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Many blamed the incident on his government’s progressive policies and publicly rallied for new border checks at sea, air and land ports of entry.
    Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The curious boys climbed onto the roof of their home for a better look, but climbed back down when scolded by their grandmother.
    Rina Nakano, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Kirson remembered, adding that, minutes later, the show’s production team scolded her.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • Other singers who have previously condemned the administration for using their music include Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA.
    Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Now condemned and boarded up, cordoned off by sagging tape, dirty roll-up door set to adorn the front pages of tomorrow’s papers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Collins denounced the message at the time and said internal chambers were made to his staff.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Matt Simmons, climate attorney with the Environmental Protection Information Center in Humboldt, denounced the latest agreement.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pilloried.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilloried. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!