How does the verb rail differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of rail are berate, revile, scold, upbraid, and vituperate. While all these words mean "to reproach angrily and abusively," rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.
railed loudly at their insolence
When could berate be used to replace rail?
In some situations, the words berate and rail are roughly equivalent. However, berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.
berated continually by an overbearing boss
When is it sensible to use revile instead of rail?
While the synonyms revile and rail are close in meaning, revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.
an alleged killer reviled in the press
When is scold a more appropriate choice than rail?
The words scold and rail can be used in similar contexts, but scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.
angrily scolding the children
When would upbraid be a good substitute for rail?
The words upbraid and rail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.
upbraided her assistants for poor research
In what contexts can vituperate take the place of rail?
The synonyms vituperate and rail are sometimes interchangeable, but vituperate suggests a violent reviling.
was vituperated for betraying his friends
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rail
Noun
And there’s plenty of bad out there — including a news story about a faulty railing giving way and causing a woman’s death.—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025 Independent redistricting advocates have railed against politically skewed voting districts designed to benefit one political party, describing such gerrymandering as a way to distort election outcomes by letting politicians choose their voters instead of the other way around.—Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
Some rail systems have resorted to extreme tactics to keep people from riding on top of trains.—Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025 The linen blend textile feels casually elegant and the grommet rail line ensures the drapes will move smoothly on any rod.—Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rail
Last but not least, the home features the coziest front porch, complete with eye-catching front and side railings, that can be transformed into the perfect space for unwinding with outdoor furniture, a porch swing, a set of string lights, and a stylish doormat, of course.
—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
The design takes its cues from the railings of a balcony.
The Apple Valley Model Railroad Museum has an enormous (22 feet by 100 feet) model railroad built in a picturesque Western North Carolina landscape.
—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
Dating back to the the 1800s, the historic railroad is a fun, endearing way to explore the mountains—and a quintessential slice of Americana—all at one time.
Predictably, Khomeini fulminated about Carter’s visit.
—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
As for fighting the Trump pressure campaign, even politicians as ambitious as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker are mostly left to file lawsuits — and fulminate.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2025
The move comes as the US backs the Lobito Corridor project, a rival railway upgrade in the southwest of the continent, which will refurbish train lines that connect Angola’s Atlantic coast to resource-rich DR Congo, as well as Zambia.
—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Mahama worked with a team to complete this project, unloading four trucks of scrap metal, tirelessly extracting the matter, and disassembling railway cars.
Resorting to an omnibus is now common, even though it is reviled by many rank-and-file lawmakers who resent being deprived of the ability to resist individual spending provisions without derailing the sole vehicle for averting a shutdown.
—
Lazaro Gamio,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Strapped for resources and now actively reviled and threatened by their government, theaters and producers are pouncing on opportunities to lay out a little less money or to spend on one big name in the hopes of clawing their way out of the red.
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