1
as in to attack
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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Recent Examples of excoriate
The Wall Street Journal editorial board excoriated Attorney General Pam Bondi for suggesting hate speech is not protected under the law in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
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Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 17 Sep. 2025
Once again, Miller called Dudek and excoriated him.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg excoriated Trump during an Iowa town hall hosted by the liberal group VoteVets Action Fund.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2025
Cleaver and other Kansas City lawmakers have excoriated the effort, framing it as a brazen and undemocratic power grab that would dampen the voting power of Kansas City and its nearby suburbs.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriate
Verb
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Kyiv — Russia attacked Ukraine with a hypersonic Oreshnik missile overnight Thursday, a rare use of one of its most advanced weapons during the latest onslaught targeting the country amid freezing temperatures.—
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Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 242 drones and 36 missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said Friday morning.—
Verb
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These changes to the fabric’s texture can also irritate delicate skin.—
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To ensure the materials were safe for biological use, the friction layers was tested on a rabbit’s eye, where the device maintained its charge without irritating.—
Verb
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Nawat Itsaragrisil, president of Miss Grand International (MGI), was seen scolding Fatima Bosch, a 25-year-old contestant from Mexico, ahead of the 74th Miss Universe competition being held in Bangkok later this month.—
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No doubt many grandmothers will want to scold us, but the truth is, soap isn't going to destroy your cast iron pans.—
Verb
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Allen later slammed his right hand into the helmet of right guard O’Cyrus Torrence after releasing the ball.—
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Trump had repeatedly slammed Powell for cost overruns tied to the renovation.—
Verb
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House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.—
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Bibelheimer also had good reason to criticize the film, as Ferrell’s portrayal of her was wildly at odds with the truth.—
Verb
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But there’s a big difference between knowing that a relative is a pill and loving them through it and being rudely insulted by a relative and just sucking it up.—
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Despite his mediator role, Rodríguez is also known for his explosive temperament, lashing out in Congress and publicly threatening and insulting members of the opposition.—
Cite this Entry
“Excoriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriate. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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