as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
his wife upbraided him for his irresponsible handling of the family finances
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Recent Examples of upbraid
During cross-examination, he was upbraided for long answers that did not immediately answer the question he had been asked.
—
Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Zelenskyy walked away from the meeting not only empty-handed, but apparently upbraided by Trump, who said Ukraine should accept Russia’s terms for ending the war — by handing over the entire eastern territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Soon there was an altercation at the front desk, when a Haitian upbraided the American peons about not getting her free stuff fast enough.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 8 Oct. 2025
Schumer is the latest Democrat on Capitol Hill to upbraid Kennedy in recent days over the measles outbreak.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for upbraid
Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Zelenskyy walked away from the meeting not only empty-handed, but apparently upbraided by Trump, who said Ukraine should accept Russia’s terms for ending the war — by handing over the entire eastern territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Soon there was an altercation at the front desk, when a Haitian upbraided the American peons about not getting her free stuff fast enough.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 8 Oct. 2025
Schumer is the latest Democrat on Capitol Hill to upbraid Kennedy in recent days over the measles outbreak.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for upbraid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upbraid
Verb
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The president himself scolded a New York Times reporter for asking about the cost and whether Amazon was seeking to get in his good graces.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
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Crucially, the film avoids the trap of scolding younger generations or romanticizing the past.—
Beandrea July,
IndieWire,
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
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So far, none of the agents involved in the shootings has been publicly suspended or reprimanded.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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At her event, Acosta will lecture and facilitate a discussion about the Jeanes Supervisors.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), the Clintons criticized the committee for dismissing previous subpoenas issued to seven other witnesses on the matter of Epstein.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Feb. 2026
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The powerful Murdoch media empire has been the source of criticism from Democrats for years, particularly in New York City, where the New York Post has relentlessly criticized, mocked, and uncovered negative stories about its Democratic mayors and politicians.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upbraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upbraid. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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