EXCORIATES Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

excoriates

verb

present tense third-person singular of excoriate

as in attacks

to criticize harshly and usually publicly the mayor had hardly been in office for a month before she was being excoriated for problems of very long standing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in irritates

to make sore by continued rubbing the manacles had badly excoriated the prisoner's wrists

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of excoriates Smullen’s campaign launched an anti-Constantino website that excoriates him for, among many other things, his past registration as a Democrat. — Michael Hill, Fortune, 12 June 2026 Woodcutters sets forth the musings of a narrator sitting in an armchair at a dinner party who excoriates the literary awards establishments of his native land (and by extension all lands that are host to a robust bourgeoisie). — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriates

Verb

Republican rival Rick Jackson has spent heavily portraying Bottoms’ Atlanta mayoralty as a failure, focusing on crime and 2020 protests — attacks some supporters say carry racial and gender overtones.

— Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacks

Verb

Patients may be advised to use gentle, fragrance-free products, keep the area moisturized, and avoid anything that further irritates the skin.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Knowing that Madame Lalouette’s sales numbers are too high to fire her, Carla attempts to transfer Madame Morel to a different department — a move that irritates her superiors and highlights her weakness.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of irritates

Verb

In a video shared by De La Espriella’s office Tuesday, the president scolds some of the suspects captured by police.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
In a video shared by De la Espriella’s office Tuesday, the president scolds some of the suspects captured by police.

— Manuel Rueda, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of scolds

Verb

There’s seat-shaking violence in how the whale breaches the surface and slams its weight back down (the crafty sound design is by James Miller) and body horror in its claustrophobic, spongy inner chambers.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
There are currently more than 85,000 customers without power across the Northeast, including New York City and Connecticut, as an intensifying early-season nor’easter slams the region with strong wind, soaking rain and coastal flooding.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of slams

Verb

Woodland mayor criticizes federal account Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard also challenged Homeland Security’s version of events in a statement released with the police department’s initial findings.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
The ad linked to the suit criticizes Attorney General James Uthmeier specifically.

— Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of criticizes

Verb

Anyone who repeatedly abuses AI tools may soon find Claude giving them the silent treatment.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Detectives will continue investigating these cases aggressively, and anyone who abuses their position with a child will be held accountable.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of abuses

Verb

The war in Gaza has become a dividing line between the two candidates, both of whom are Jewish, as Lander assails Goldman for not being tough enough on Israel over its military action against Palestinians.

— Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 23 June 2026
As an example, Vance called out an essay in The Nation that assails Kirk’s views on women, homosexuality, and affirmative action.

— Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025

Definition of assails

Verb

Will Oscar and guild voters want to throw their weight behind a movie that lambastes the very technology that threatens their existence?

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 July 2026
Mikey lambastes him anyway, turning a speech in praise of Richie into a searing evisceration.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2026

Definition of lambastes

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“Excoriates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriates. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of excoriates

verb

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