1
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flay
The end came with England on 50-0, with Stokes flaying Foulkes to Mitchell at mid-on.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
Dwight grabbed my arm, wrenching my hand out of my pocket, flaying it like a fish, pulling me along.
—
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
The apostle was believed to have met his martyrdom by being flayed alive.
—
Virginia Raguin,
The Conversation,
19 Feb. 2026
Most repellent of all is a slow-burn sequence in which the Jimmys, having stumbled on a small community of survivors, proceed to string them up in a barn and gradually, meticulously flay them alive.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flay
ABC News,
28 June 2026
Dwight grabbed my arm, wrenching my hand out of my pocket, flaying it like a fish, pulling me along.
—
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
The apostle was believed to have met his martyrdom by being flayed alive.
—
Virginia Raguin,
The Conversation,
19 Feb. 2026
Most repellent of all is a slow-burn sequence in which the Jimmys, having stumbled on a small community of survivors, proceed to string them up in a barn and gradually, meticulously flay them alive.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flay
Verb
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Soon though, Shawna noticed some of Zaayer's strange behaviors — including scolding her grandson, getting upset over cleaning habits and allegedly showing them racist videos.
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Justice Barrett actually sounded kind of sharp, almost scolding, in the opinion in her criticism of the assertions made by the plaintiffs and some of the justices in the minority.
Verb
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Some commentators in the United States have taken the opportunity to lecture Europeans, and perhaps even indulge in a little schadenfreude.
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The work, then, is not to lecture communities into trusting us.
Verb
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Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.
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Wimbledon fashion is also something that can get patrons in trouble, with Andy Samberg saying he was reprimanded for wearing black jeans in the Royal Box.
Cite this Entry
“Flay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flay. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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