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
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
On social media, he was getting pilloried by Fuentes’s legions of fans, many of them alienated young conservatives who call themselves Groypers, in honor of an obese version of the Pepe the Frog meme.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
As an 18-year-old, Bedard was pilloried for having a minus-44 rating.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grew, Biden was pilloried by segments of the Democratic Party, who turned against Israel.
—James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
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
On social media, he was getting pilloried by Fuentes’s legions of fans, many of them alienated young conservatives who call themselves Groypers, in honor of an obese version of the Pepe the Frog meme.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
As an 18-year-old, Bedard was pilloried for having a minus-44 rating.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grew, Biden was pilloried by segments of the Democratic Party, who turned against Israel.
—James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilloried
Verb
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Advocates have long criticized the conditions at the Aurora facility, and those complaints — alongside concerns that more facilities could open in the state — helped drive HB 1276’s contents.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
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Bass has called for hiring more officers and defending her Inside Safe homelessness program, while Raman has criticized the cost of police raises, called for broader public-safety responses and argued that the city needs a more accountable and cost-effective homelessness system.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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In March 2026, a detainee escaped from the facility, which ICE officials blamed on the contractors' inability to track people housed there.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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Its satellites have been blamed for interfering with astronomical observations and posing an ever-increasing risk of space collisions.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The child, now 6 years old, only hears her full name when she's being scolded — though Kendra and Bill are currently trying to undo that pattern.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
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Katie Porter scolded, Tom Steyer channeled Bernie.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned the breakdown of the already fragile cease-fire.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
8 June 2026
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Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, condemned the decision not to admit Artan.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Earlier this week, Next Generation Action Network, a civil rights organization that has been advocating in favor of Anthony, denounced the racial makeup of the jurors.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
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The Iranian government denounced Persepolis and successfully lobbied for the film’s removal from the Bangkok International Film Festival.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pilloried.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilloried. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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