as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
his wife upbraided him for his irresponsible handling of the family finances
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Recent Examples of upbraid
In a blistering memo circulated around the agency before he was laid off in late summer, Frantz upbraided political leaders.
—
Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 17 Dec. 2025
The current episode is no less dramatic than previous ones that saw Zelenskiy upbraided by Vance and Trump in an Oval Office meeting.
—Natalia Drozdiak, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025
During cross-examination, he was upbraided for long answers that did not immediately answer the question he had been asked.
—Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Zelenskyy walked away from the meeting not only empty-handed, but apparently upbraided by Trump, who said Ukraine should accept Russia’s terms for ending the war — by handing over the entire eastern territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upbraid
Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 17 Dec. 2025
The current episode is no less dramatic than previous ones that saw Zelenskiy upbraided by Vance and Trump in an Oval Office meeting.
—Natalia Drozdiak, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025
During cross-examination, he was upbraided for long answers that did not immediately answer the question he had been asked.
—Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Zelenskyy walked away from the meeting not only empty-handed, but apparently upbraided by Trump, who said Ukraine should accept Russia’s terms for ending the war — by handing over the entire eastern territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upbraid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upbraid
Verb
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The feeling was less substantial, more childish, like expecting someone to walk in and scold you for doing something wrong and not knowing where to hide.—
Francesco Pacifico,
The Dial,
12 May 2026
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Stumbling on to this ruse, Antoine’s friend and manager Armand (Gilles Lellouche) immediately can tell Suzanne is a fake and scolds her for exploiting his friend’s grief.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Verb
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On Thursday Nixon was reprimanded by the House Rules and Ethics Committee for her loud protest on the House floor last month that disrupted the vote on new congressional district maps.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
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If something’s not done as far as reprimanding, what will that do to him as a student?—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The cruel cartoon of a constantly shrewish, venal, and disloyal Mary began cementing itself in the public mind when William Herndon, Lincoln’s Springfield law partner, started lecturing about his reminiscences within months of the President’s murder.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Also, don’t lecture your teens and don’t expect constant gratitude.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Renter Mandy Feng, who prefers to use a pseudonym for fear of being seen criticizing the authorities, said the stimulus the government is offering has failed to offset people’s anxiety over an uncertain economic outlook.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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At the time of the women’s march, Cannes organizers were being criticized for failing to do more to publicly acknowledge the #MeToo and Time’s Up initiatives.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upbraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upbraid. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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