KEELHAULED Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

keelhauled

verb

past tense of keelhaul

as in scolded

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings there's no need to keelhaul him—it was an honest mistake, and a small one at that

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhauled

Verb

For example, just recently, Musk publicly scolded the CEO of Delta in a scorching post on X when the airline did not partner with Starlink to provide Wi-Fi on Delta flights.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
But leaders seeking to encourage tourism scolded residents who warned of the danger on social media.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of scolded

Verb

Mandell was later formally reprimanded for allowing another client’s hearing to be delayed by six years, during which time two witnesses died.

— Samantha Melamed, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2026
The Denver school board censured director Monica Hunter on Thursday night, the third time in five years that the governing body of Colorado’s largest K-12 district has publicly reprimanded a colleague.

— Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of reprimanded

Verb

Earhart lectured at the school before embarking on her final flight.

— News Editor, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Luann patiently attempts to explain that the women don’t like being lectured to about their business affairs, only for Vicki to abruptly answer a phone call mid-conversation.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of lectured

Verb

In his statement, Dan also blamed Russia for a spate of attacks in recent weeks on civilian maritime transport in the Black Sea, which has left at least three people dead and has raised fears of an escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine.

— STEPHEN McGRATH, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
In response, Citation once again blamed the pollution on old drilling practices, according to an email from one of the company’s engineers to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

— Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of blamed

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“Keelhauled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhauled. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of keelhauled

verb

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