as in reprimand
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as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
there's no need to berate someone for making a mistake during the first day on the job
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Recent Examples of berating
Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud's berating of a Christian minister who objected to street signs named after an Arab American leader is being called out by his electoral opponent.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Tigers fans spent all morning berating Jayhawks fans before the game even started.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
In October, a controversial video leaked in which Alex can be heard using expletives and berating his younger sister during a rehearsal.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 8 Jan. 2026
Audio recordings previously obtained by the Observer and other news outlets featured McFadden berating staff, calling them untrustworthy and calling a white captain a racial slur.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
McCarthy also is accused of reciting Hand's address, cursing at him and berating Hand's intelligence and physical appearance.
—Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Dec. 2025
A day after an irritable TV interview went viral, an old video surfaced of the former Orange County congresswoman cursing and berating one of her aides.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
Itsaragrisil could be seen berating Bosch for allegedly refusing to partake in a photo shoot meant for contestants to share on social media at a pre-pageant event.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Minaj allegedly started berating the female security guard while recording the exchange.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
Trump’s berating of China earlier this year has also brought rewards to Xi domestically, too.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud's berating of a Christian minister who objected to street signs named after an Arab American leader is being called out by his electoral opponent.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
Trump has railed against the Fed and Powell for the past year, berating Powell, his handpicked Fed chair, for not cutting rates.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Tigers fans spent all morning berating Jayhawks fans before the game even started.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
In October, a controversial video leaked in which Alex can be heard using expletives and berating his younger sister during a rehearsal.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 8 Jan. 2026
Audio recordings previously obtained by the Observer and other news outlets featured McFadden berating staff, calling them untrustworthy and calling a white captain a racial slur.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
McCarthy also is accused of reciting Hand's address, cursing at him and berating Hand's intelligence and physical appearance.
—Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Dec. 2025
A day after an irritable TV interview went viral, an old video surfaced of the former Orange County congresswoman cursing and berating one of her aides.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
Itsaragrisil could be seen berating Bosch for allegedly refusing to partake in a photo shoot meant for contestants to share on social media at a pre-pageant event.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Minaj allegedly started berating the female security guard while recording the exchange.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for berating
Noun
-
Breece is asking a hearing officer to impose a $10,000 fine and issue a public reprimand.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
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The complaint is seeking a $10,000 fine and a public reprimand or censure for actions that Ajayi took while running for office in 2024 while she was employed by Broward County.—
Carlton Gillespie,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Crucially, the film avoids the trap of scolding younger generations or romanticizing the past.—
Beandrea July,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Sanders, by now a perennial candidate, perfected his craggy, scolding, mitten-waving style.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Grand jurors in Washington declined to sign off on charges in the latest of a series of rebukes of prosecutors by citizens in the nation’s capital, according to the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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But the votes carry little weight beyond offering a rare rebuke of the president by Republicans as the president can veto any disapproval.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes the messages got feisty, with Epstein lecturing Karp over a fee.—
Tom Schoenberg,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Before the world complicated things with espresso machines, oat milk debates, and influencers lecturing to you about grind size, wild coffee trees were clinging to the Ethiopian highlands.—
John Noakes,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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To better break through modern wilderness frontiers, Bowlus' newest offering gets upgraded with the 3-in lift, all-terrain tires, spare tire mount and interior lashing system of the Adventure Package.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Feb. 2026
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Kaia Gerber and Cindy Crawford, who have now walked plenty a red carpet together, embrace their dark features with red lips, lashings of mascara, and undulating brunette curls.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Harnessing the camp of countless Drag Race acting challenges that came before her, Jujubee films a close-up reaction to a group of rowdy passengers reprimanding her, escalating the moment until her face is full-on twitching before a physical confrontation.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
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Censures, a means of formally reprimanding a lawmaker without going so far as to expel them, have historically been rare; in the 200 years after Congress first convened, only 22 House members were censured.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
21 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In the appeal to you, gentle readers, to email us with your thoughts, questions, reproofs, corrections, jokes, recipes, etc.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
9 May 2025
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Advertisement China’s Foreign Ministry also issued a vehement reproof.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In multiple phone calls from jail, Nathan Gingles discussed the dependency court case, asking his friend in Texas to pass along information and criticizing Mary’s sister, who was fighting for custody against Schuler.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
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Both companies have also gotten more vocal in public in recent weeks, with executives openly criticizing each other's businesses.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Berating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berating. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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