as in to blame
to subject (someone) to harsh public criticism
The press pilloried the judge for her decision.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pillory
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
See All Example Sentences for pillory
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
See All Example Sentences for pillory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillory
Verb
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Trump blames vandalism for the troubles with the reflecting pool renovation, announces people are being arrested.
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The logic here is highly questionable — dying for your queen and dying by her hand are not equivalent sacrifices — but let’s blame Lorent’s lapse in judgment on the chaos of the moment.
Verb
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Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, sharply criticized the circumstances surrounding the whale’s death.
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Plenty of those who populate that category are championed instead of criticized.
Verb
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Someone else scolds the offender.
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This time, however, Charlotte promptly scolded him for his untoward behavior.
Verb
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The Department of Licenses and Inspections responded to the scene and condemned the house, which sustained considerable damage.
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While Washington blamed Iran and condemned the attack, Gulf states were left with lingering questions about the extent of American willingness to confront Tehran on their behalf.
Verb
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Other Ukrainian officials denounced Poland’s move.
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Crowds have gathered around it in protest and in praise to denounce American wars, and hear great voices sing and speak.
Cite this Entry
“Pillory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillory. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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