tongue-lashing 1 of 2

noun

as in invective

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tongue-lashing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of tongue-lash
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings the drill sergeant tongue-lashed the recruits with a colorful litany of foulmouthed invectives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue-lashing
  1. invective
  2. scolding
  3. lashing
  4. lecturing
  5. tirade
  6. reprimanding
  7. vituperation
  8. reprimand
Noun
  • His followers responded with a steady stream of invective, describing Atkin and Jammi in misogynistic and, at times, dehumanizing language.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • The online pile-on, often expressed through personal invective.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
Definition of invective
Verb
  • 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.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • 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.
    — John E. Jones III, The Conversation, 1 July 2026
Definition of scolding
Noun
  • Instead people voted with their wallets and not a single person was harmed except maybe some marketing guys getting a tongue lashing.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • Attendees will explore a variety of types of vertical support structures and learn to tie different rope knots and lashings useful for creating plant support structures for our own garden.
    — Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • College professors spend less time lecturing than a typical sportswriter creating fake controversies to criticize.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • If and until that day comes, there will be fingerpointing, lecturing and posturing, all of which has flowed freely in the wake of the Sorsby decision.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 June 2026
Definition of lecturing
Noun
  • Jones rejected his plea deal on July 2, 2024, for being too lenient for stalking and shooting a woman at least four times in November 2022, which sparked a tirade against the judge, court documents allege.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Instead of pushing or trash talking in response to Bonner’s tirade, Cunningham simply pointed her finger directly at Bonner from a few feet away for over 22 seconds.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of tirade
Verb
  • Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Earlier this week, Scott Agness claimed his press credentials were revoked by the team after his reporting led to the WNBA reprimanding the Fever for not being transparent about Clark’s health status during a game on May 20.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Definition of reprimanding
Noun
  • Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
  • The politicization of the COVID response has only worsened this trend, likely resulting in part from Trump’s vituperation.
    — Matt Motta, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2024
Definition of vituperation
Noun
  • In a largely symbolic reprimand, Senate Democrats succeeded on Tuesday in forcing through a resolution to end the war with Iran.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2026
  • The reprimands have gone beyond rhetoric.
    — Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
Definition of reprimand
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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tongue-lashes
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Cite this Entry

“Tongue-lashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-lashing. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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