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
The current carried him up the block and shoved him up against the wooden porch railing of a neighbor who was looking through a window with his flashlight.—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 6 July 2025 Being dragged against the chest-high pier railing and into the water was just a remote possibility, and there was always a sharp knife handy to cut the line.—Donald Millus, Outdoor Life, 3 July 2025
Verb
Leading the Department of Transportation, with its vast budget and complex oversight of aviation, rail, and infrastructure, is a demanding full-time job.—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 On the other side of the park, the Skate Park will be the ultimate playground for adrenaline junkies, with ramps to conquer and rails to grind.—Calesa Township, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rail
Leaning on the railing at Mather Point, both men said the change of plans had been pretty seamless.
—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
15 July 2025
Gripping the stairwell railings inside the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel on a recent afternoon, Tom Kutrosky ran up the steps two at a time — part of his training for an upcoming race that involves taking on 110 floors’ worth of stairs.
—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
On the flip-side, the World Health Organization cites traffic noise such as road, rail and air traffic as the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe behind air pollution.
—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
Strengthening infrastructure – Communities need to prioritize schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, dams, water supply, sewer, sanitation, power, cellular, internet service, etc.
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
At the time, even Carter's fellow Democrats fulminated against his incompetence.
On top of that, an ongoing railway worker shortage continues to lengthen dwell times for containers waiting at the port.
—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
14 July 2025
Williams, the son of a Welsh railway worker, was, like Dyer, lifted by grammar school and a scholarship to an august university—Cambridge, in his case.
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