bawling out

verb

present participle of bawl out
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings got bawled out by the boss for missing another important deadline

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawling out
  1. scolding
  2. lecturing
  3. reprimanding
  4. calling down
  5. dressing down
  6. blaming
Verb
  • From behind a tree, Neil and Florence observed Brenda scolding little Neil.
    — S. M. Reznik, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • By the time his daughter shows up, flanked by her mom and upright dentist stepdad, Lee’s moved on from scolding the room to thanking his mother for believing him.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of scolding
Verb
  • Respondents in England and Australia were more likely to associate teaching with institutional, credentialed and paid professional roles, such as nursing, lecturing and social work.
    — Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For decades, Zinn traveled the country lecturing to packed auditoriums.
    — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lecturing
Verb
  • Instead of reprimanding his pet, Linnetz seems to recognize the moment as a potentially good shot.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The audience awkwardly chuckles, and Scovel, eyes still closed, begins reprimanding them.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of reprimanding
Verb
  • This year, the irrigators began calling down water on July 1, boosting flows in the Colorado River.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 16 July 2026
Definition of calling down
Verb
  • Plus, the medium wash with light fading is great for dressing up or dressing down.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 20 Oct. 2026
  • And there’s a useful distinction between dressing down to make someone else comfortable and being thoughtful about the signals your clothes send.
    — Morgan Sullivan, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of dressing down
Verb
  • The contractor has sued the city, blaming the airport for the delays.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Acaster refused to take part, blaming his abstention on being wedged between Sheen and Croft — two of the more observant players.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of blaming
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.

Browse Nearby Words

bawling
bawling out
bawl out
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Cite this Entry

“Bawling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawling%20out. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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