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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The football game directive came about a week after Ingoglia held a press conference criticizing Alachua County — where UF’s campus is located — for excessive or wasteful spending to the tune of $84 million over five years, claiming the budget grew by 77%.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2026 -
Trump spent months criticizing Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interests rates, with the Republican president arguing that lower borrowing costs would provide an economic boost.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
22 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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Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn also issued a statement condemning the shooting and expressing support for the Muslim community.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
19 May 2026
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On Sunday evening, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado published an emotional tribute honoring Carmen Teresa Navas and condemning the circumstances surrounding both deaths.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 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 24 May. 2026.
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