scold

1 of 2

verb

ˈskōld How to pronounce scold (audio)
scolded; scolding; scolds
Synonyms of scold

transitive verb

: to censure usually severely or angrily : rebuke

intransitive verb

1
: to find fault noisily or angrily
2
obsolete : to quarrel noisily
scolder noun

scold

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: one who scolds habitually or persistently
b
dated, sometimes offensive : a woman who disturbs the public peace by noisy and quarrelsome or abusive behavior
2
: scolding

Synonyms of scold

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Verb

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scold, upbraid, berate, rail, revile, vituperate mean to reproach angrily and abusively.

scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

Examples of scold in a Sentence

Verb “You should never have done that,” she scolded. he scolded the kids for not cleaning up the mess they had made in the kitchen Noun He can be a bit of a scold sometimes.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Davis remembered once being scolded as a teenager by her mother after being caught speaking poorly of a classmate. — Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 This time, however, Charlotte promptly scolded him for his untoward behavior. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Noun
In lesser hands, such a hero could be an insufferable scold, or alienating chaos agent. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Don’t be a scold, don’t be a moaner, don’t be a finger-wagging elitist, don’t be an eco-bore, don’t be a mentally ill homeless guy. — James Parker, The Atlantic, 5 May 2022 See All Example Sentences for scold

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English scald, scold, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skāld poet, skald, Icelandic skālda to make scurrilous verse

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of scold was in the 12th century

Rhymes for scold

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Browse Nearby Words

scoke
scold
scold's bridle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scold. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

scold

1 of 2 noun
ˈskōld How to pronounce scold (audio)
: a person who scolds constantly

scold

2 of 2 verb
1
: to find fault noisily or angrily
2
: to criticize severely or angrily

More from Merriam-Webster on scold

Nglish: Translation of scold for Spanish Speakers

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