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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of excoriate
During the hearing, Reyes — a Biden appointee and the first out lesbian to serve as district judge for the District of Columbia — excoriated Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyer Jason Lynch, asserting that Trump’s order plainly discriminates against trans people in violation of the law.
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Samantha Riedel, Them, 19 Feb. 2025
During the 1980s, activists excoriated President Ronald Reagan for his administration’s slow response to the burgeoning AIDS crisis that was decimating the gay community.
—Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2025
For this, she was publicly excoriated, by the president and his supporters.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
In a different era, this would have been the sort of excoriating appraisal that a Cabinet nominee would spend a great deal of time trying to rebut.
—Tess Owen, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Samantha Riedel, Them, 19 Feb. 2025
During the 1980s, activists excoriated President Ronald Reagan for his administration’s slow response to the burgeoning AIDS crisis that was decimating the gay community.
—Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2025
For this, she was publicly excoriated, by the president and his supporters.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
In a different era, this would have been the sort of excoriating appraisal that a Cabinet nominee would spend a great deal of time trying to rebut.
—Tess Owen, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriate
Verb
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When Jensen then decides to go long, Collins and Pinnock move towards the near post and Wissa adjusts his position to be able to attack the second ball.—
Mark Carey,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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The Trump administration has attacked DEI on college campuses with particular zeal, threatening investigations, lawsuits and canceled federal funding.—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In addition to the on-again, off-again tariffs and the militarization of the border, Trump has irritated Mexico by renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2025
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Salt grains may be irritating, especially for people with sensitive skin types.—
Susan Bard,
Health,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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According to Smith, James, who approached him in the third quarter during a timeout, scolded him for his commentary regarding his son and teammate, Bronny James.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
12 Mar. 2025
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Michelle Obama playfully scolded her husband, Barack Obama, on her new podcast with her brother, Craig Robinson.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Musk has repeatedly criticized Social Security, one of the government's most popular programs, and DOGE staffers have been working inside the agency.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
11 Mar. 2025
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Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have sharply criticized the other Supreme Court judges for declining to hear a case called Alabama v. California.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But as the aircraft was climbing back into the air, the left wing of the twin-jet slammed into the runway.—
Elizabeth Keogh,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2025
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But art is never apolitical, and in eastern Congo, slam often intertwines with activism.—
Patricia Huon,
The Christian Science Monitor,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mental health is better than ever – haven't missed being abused by angry bots or insulted by toxic trolls.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
10 Mar. 2025
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We have been insulted on multiple occasions by senior members of the administration.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excoriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriate. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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