as in to blame
to subject (someone) to harsh public criticism
The press pilloried the judge for her decision.
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Recent Examples of pillory
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
Dem leadership has been pilloried by Dem voters for rolling over and not standing up to Trump.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 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
See All Example Sentences for pillory
James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
Dem leadership has been pilloried by Dem voters for rolling over and not standing up to Trump.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 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
See All Example Sentences for pillory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillory
Verb
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Each side has blamed the other for ceasefire violations.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
Italy blamed Egypt for Regeni’s killing.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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At the awards ceremony closing the Berlinale, some winners used their acceptance speeches to support Palestinians and criticize Israel over its war in Gaza.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
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Additionally, Pashinyan has opted to expand Armenia’s partnerships with Western governments, something that has been sharply criticized by Russian officials.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The feeling was less substantial, more childish, like expecting someone to walk in and scold you for doing something wrong and not knowing where to hide.—
Francesco Pacifico,
The Dial,
12 May 2026
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Stumbling on to this ruse, Antoine’s friend and manager Armand (Gilles Lellouche) immediately can tell Suzanne is a fake and scolds her for exploiting his friend’s grief.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Verb
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At the commissioner’s court meeting, area residents universally condemned the idea, variously calling it a Trojan horse, a foothold, a wasp’s nest, and a bribe.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Shame on any educational institution that censors speech condemning it.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Patrick, a Republican who is the Texas lieutenant governor, repeatedly denounced a concept that is embedded in Supreme Court precedent.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Patrick, a Republican who is the Texas lieutenant governor, repeatedly denounced a concept that is embedded in Supreme Court precedent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pillory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillory. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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