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 four leaders have also angered Trump by criticizing how he’s gone about executing the war and his lack of consultation with allies before jumping into a conflict that’s hurt the global economy as oil prices have surged.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
12 June 2026 -
The four leaders have also angered Trump by criticizing how he's gone about executing the war and his lack of consultation with allies before jumping into a conflict that's hurt the global economy as oil prices have surged.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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One of the people blaming China is billionaire investor Kevin O’Leary, who is backing a $100 billion data center project in Utah.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
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Unable to cope with that, British voters are casting about blaming the politicians.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Verb
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On March 12, the judge sought to change the journalists’ seating arrangement in court after scolding them for asking İmamoğlu questions during a hearing.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
9 June 2026
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Publicly, Ingoglia has become known for barnstorming the state to hold choreographed press conferences scolding cities and counties for wasteful spending.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Oak Park officials issued a statement condemning antisemitism on Thursday after a home was vandalized with an antisemitic message.—
Cam'ron Hardy,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
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The Art Directors Guild released a statement on social media on Tuesday condemning Martin Scorsese’s recent partnership with AI startup Black Forest Labs.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The song, and its accompanying video featuring Bryan dancing on a dock, was ripped online, and launched a string of comments denouncing the track — about, yep, fishing and hunting, golfing and drinking — as the product of a large language model.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2026
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Unlike the polished restraint of traditional beauty advertising, her monologue denouncing ageism is unfiltered and unapologetic.—
Alison Bringé,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pillorying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillorying. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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