Synonym Chooser

How does the verb vituperate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vituperate are berate, rail, revile, scold, and upbraid. While all these words mean "to reproach angrily and abusively," vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

In what contexts can berate take the place of vituperate?

While the synonyms berate and vituperate are close in meaning, berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

When is it sensible to use rail instead of vituperate?

The meanings of rail and vituperate largely overlap; however, rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

When might revile be a better fit than vituperate?

The synonyms revile and vituperate are sometimes interchangeable, but revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

Where would scold be a reasonable alternative to vituperate?

The words scold and vituperate can be used in similar contexts, but scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

When can upbraid be used instead of vituperate?

While in some cases nearly identical to vituperate, upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vituperate
Verb
  • After the match, Uso helped attack Sikoa’s MFTs and Fatu hit a picturesque moonsault off the top of the cage onto Loa and Mateo, getting some momentum back after a controversial defeat.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Police responded to a call that an individual was being attacked by dogs at the Perris Hill Park in San Bernardino at around 5:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 31, KTLA and the Los Angeles Times reported.
    Escher Walcott, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Minutes later, Boone was spotted appearing to scold first-base coach Travis Chapman for Chisholm getting thrown out.
    Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
  • But instead of yelling or scolding, Hocker speaks to her daughter gently, and with compassion.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
Verb
  • His popularity is also boosted whenever Trump insults him on social media.
    Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025
  • The Challenge Is Laid Down In his signature abrasive style, MJF both praised and insulted the WCW legend while issuing the challenge.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Police slammed one of the women to the ground and swiftly ushered her away in handcuffs.
    Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Phase 4 In the fourth stage, the body attempts to slam the brakes on starvation by lowering the metabolic rate - like switching on low-power mode to conserve energy.
    Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • But DeGeneres ultimately refuted the claims that savaged her career.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 23 June 2025
  • Rarely has a wide release been more savaged by critics, sitting at 0 percent on Rotten Tomatoes for a long time.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Rather than opt for a two-year extension of the current lease, which has been criticized by some residents since it was signed in 1997, the Bengals and the county agreed on a new 11-year lease.
    Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 2 Aug. 2025
  • The comedian and political commentator has long criticized late-night hosts like Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
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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Cite this Entry

“Vituperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vituperate. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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