as in to blame
to subject (someone) to harsh public criticism
The press pilloried the judge for her decision.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pillory
Some economists pilloried Biden at the time, saying the third round of stimulus relief was unnecessary, excessive and likely to overheat the economy.
—
Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Nov. 2024
The lack of activity was pilloried on sports talk radio and in various online Canucks fan spaces.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
This man has been pilloried on social media plenty this season.
—Chris Branch, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Legal eagles on social media were eager to point out the hiccups in the formatting and more than a few typos that were cleaned-up on the White House’s website before they got pilloried too badly.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pillory
Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Nov. 2024
The lack of activity was pilloried on sports talk radio and in various online Canucks fan spaces.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
This man has been pilloried on social media plenty this season.
—Chris Branch, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Legal eagles on social media were eager to point out the hiccups in the formatting and more than a few typos that were cleaned-up on the White House’s website before they got pilloried too badly.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pillory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillory
Verb
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Tax rise hit Domestic tax rises have also been blamed for the steep decline in economic activity.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
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Chicago Tribune If the plan goes awry and a recruit slips away, one thing the former NBA insider refuses to do is blame the money.—
Maura Carey,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Several Make America Great Again (MAGA) figures, such as Laura Loomer, are criticizing Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz over his ties to the suspect in Saturday's deadly shooting.—
Mandy Taheri
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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Following the opening match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta between Canada and Argentina, Argentina’s players and head coach Lionel Scaloni criticized the playing surface.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Verb
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After the period, the TNT crew scolded Luostarinen for not keeping his stick on the ice.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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The estranged wife of actor Scott Wolf was seemingly detained by law enforcement during an Instagram livestream, during which she can be heard scolding officers and alleging she was abused.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined 17 attorneys general in condemning Trump’s use of military forces in Los Angeles without state consent.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
14 June 2025
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Countries in the region condemned Israel’s attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pillory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillory. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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