scolds 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of scold
as in reprimands
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings he scolded the kids for not cleaning up the mess they had made in the kitchen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scolds

2 of 2

noun

plural of scold
as in carpers

Related Words

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 scolds
Verb
Some intergenerational sparring ensues, as Kevin scolds Arthur for his more outré boomer comments, and Arthur in turn sneers at his grandson’s millennial lameness. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 The audience screams in response, and Scovel scolds them again but this time with a smile. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 In the beginning, Piker wanted to show young men that leftists could be fun — not just woke social-justice warriors and PC scolds. — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026 Someone else scolds the offender. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 Inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, Cundieff makes quick work of lambasting the casual misogyny and homophobia ingrained in hardcore rap, but also of the media scolds unable to parse the message of the music. — Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026 Stumbling on to this ruse, Antoine’s friend and manager Armand (Gilles Lellouche) immediately can tell Suzanne is a fake and scolds her for exploiting his friend’s grief. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 May 2026 Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again. — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026 McMahon likes to remind scolds that wrestling is a morality play. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scolds
  1. reprimands
  2. nitpickers
  3. lectures
  4. critics
  5. criticizes
  6. blames
  7. admonishes
  8. berates
Verb
  • Being a fly on the wall is precisely what Hard Knocks makes viewers feel like in the moment when Head Coach Mike Macdonald reprimands linebacker Derick Hall for getting too close to a quarterback.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The emperor reprimands her for being late for the rainmaking ritual.
    — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Definition of reprimands
Noun
  • Alas, nitpickers can point to some moves in which Atlanta went backward.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • Maybe that’s why, compared with some other kinds of nitpickers, pop critics can seem especially extraneous.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Definition of nitpickers
Verb
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Professors structure lectures with an awareness of how a sentence might circulate online.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of lectures
Noun
  • For many critics of Israel, particularly younger ones, the distinction between the country and its longtime leader has become difficult to discern.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • His many critics have taken issue with his firebrand style and what many view as a lack of political correctness.
    — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of critics
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
  • The district blames the decline on Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities that happened in early 2026.
    — Ashley Grams, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • However, a Haitian source who is familiar with the issue, blames Green for the delays.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of blames
Verb
  • Sinon admonishes his king for failing to properly honor Ithaca’s dead soldiers, contributing to Odysseus’s guilt.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026
  • Judge admonishes Musk over social media use Musk is seeking $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, one of its largest investors, with proceeds going to OpenAI’s charitable arm.
    — Deepa Seetharaman, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of admonishes
Verb
  • Lizzie’s father, meanwhile, stands by quietly as his wife berates both his daughter and the family maid, Margaret, at dinner that evening.
    — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • But the real anger belongs to the narrator herself, who berates herself for bringing a succession of troubled men into her son’s life.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2026
Definition of berates

Browse Nearby Words

scoldings
scolds
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Cite this Entry

“Scolds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scolds. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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