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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Rory McIlroy was similarly vocal, criticizing the league, Saudi Arabian money, the players, and CEO Norman.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026 -
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor took a swipe at fellow Justice Brett Kavanaugh at an event on April 7, criticizing her bench-mate for his recent opinion in an immigration case.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That year, the family of a patient who died filed a lawsuit blaming him for failing to diagnose her lung cancer.—
Peter Elkind,
ProPublica,
9 Apr. 2026
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There are ways of pointing this out without explicitly blaming her.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 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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So far, Senate Republicans have shown less enthusiasm for condemning Daines’ machinations.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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The resolutions seek to put Congress on record condemning the conflict and tie the president’s hands from launching further strikes.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In his community, Bustamante likened it to denouncing Catholicism and removing photos of the pope.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Documenting and denouncing shootings and arson attacks are easy.—
Jesse Brown,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pillorying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillorying. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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