1
as in scolds
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flays
Verb
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While some online scolds didn’t like Johnson’s profanity, this has played well in Chicago, a city that has been ravenous for a winning Bears team since the 20th Super Bowl.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026 -
Or on Bluesky with the joke scolds, or on Mastodon with the Linux hackers, or on Threads with the voice-forward brands?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Low tides offer a look as the ocean peels back to give people a glimpse at the critters and plant life usually underwater.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
31 Dec. 2025
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Though the show peels back a layer or two in every episode, Barrera’s character remains a bit of a cipher.—
Sofía Tafich,
Vogue,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Simon Maghakyan lectures on the 20th anniversary of the destruction of Djulfa in December 2025.—
Simon Maghakyan,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
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In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And perhaps some—Ho Jin just barks at him to take it all and grumbles that Ji Seon is a bad influence.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Ackie mostly barks orders at her minions to go get him, while Nighy in his home plays the bad guy demanding blood.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wendell is a man who never reached out to do much and blames the world for it.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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The current narrative blames artificial intelligence.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The report criticizes the county bringing electrical infrastructure to PortMiami that allows cruise ships to shut down their smog-producing generators while docked, a $125 million project that received $20 million from the state’s Department of Transportation.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
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Continue reading … NEWSROOM REVOLT – Tensions rise at '60 Minutes' as Scott Pelley reportedly criticizes Bari Weiss.—
,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Flays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flays. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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