as in criticizing
to subject (someone) to harsh public criticism
The press pilloried the judge for her decision.
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillorying
Verb
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Just months into Powell’s chairmanship in 2018, Trump started criticizing him and the central bank for not lowering rates.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026 -
Schumer wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin earlier this month warning that new AI systems could dramatically accelerate cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, while criticizing the agency for its response thus far.—
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Medicare fraud has become a hot political topic, with Republicans and Democrats each blaming the other party for the problem.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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The Newsom administration estimates that thousands of victims of the Los Angeles wildfires cannot afford to rebuild, blaming a lack of access to affordable loans and a gap between insurance payouts and the cost to build again.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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First, as the Florida ACLU’s Howard Simon points out, Uthmeier is not scolding another branch of government.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
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Security guard Pascal Duvier, most recently infamous for allegedly scolding 11-year-old Ada Law at a hotel in São Paulo, is clearing the air.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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More than 2,100 artists including Brian Eno, Massive Attack and Peter Gabriel signed an open letter condemning Israel’s participation, while a separate open letter signed by over 1,000 figures, including Helen Mirren, Amy Schumer and Scooter Braun, supported Israel’s participation in the contest.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
15 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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After the vote, Commissioner Zach Lindstrom thanked At Chandee's supporters for sharing his story while denouncing the current presidential administration for locking him up.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
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In response to The Star’s inquiry, Sarnecki provided a statement denouncing 7-OH and kratom.—
Matthew Kelly
May 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pillorying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillorying. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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