RAILS (AT OR AGAINST) Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

rails (at or against)

verb

present tense third-person singular of rail (at or against)

as in scolds

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings we could hear the cook in the kitchen railing against his assistant and wondered if we'd ever get our food

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for rails (at or against)

Verb

Some intergenerational sparring ensues, as Kevin scolds Arthur for his more outré boomer comments, and Arthur in turn sneers at his grandson’s millennial lameness.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
The audience screams in response, and Scovel scolds them again but this time with a smile.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of scolds

Verb

Being a fly on the wall is precisely what Hard Knocks makes viewers feel like in the moment when Head Coach Mike Macdonald reprimands linebacker Derick Hall for getting too close to a quarterback.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
The emperor reprimands her for being late for the rainmaking ritual.

— Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026

Definition of reprimands

Verb

Scarlett Johansson dresses down in a New York Giants sweatshirt on set for The Exorcist in New York City on March 30.

— Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Around the same time, Oscar de la Renta sent floor-skimming shirt dresses down the runway, while Stephen Burrows gave sequins a sporty edge in wrap-styles blouses and dresses – perfect for transitioning from work to cocktail parties in the era.

— Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025

Definition of dresses down

Verb

Within days, her complaint – which names fraternity members and others, and blames Cornell and its police department for failure to act on her original report – became a focus of intense public attention.

— Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026
But the British Beer & Pub Association blames tax and overheads, and across the EU, the share of beer drunk in pubs, bars, and restaurants has stopped shrinking after years of decline.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of blames

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rails (against)

rails (at or against)

railway

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“Rails (at or against).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rails%20%28at%20or%20against%29. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of rails (at or against)

verb

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