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
Though Saturday Night excoriates Chase as a haughty frat-adjacent character and the actor’s reputation as being difficult to work with precedes him, an early writer paints a more humble picture.
—
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2025
His vast wealth also has its liabilities in a party where billionaires are more often excoriated than celebrated.
8.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
McCarthy, an actress, model and talk show host, has been excoriated by the scientific community for her belief that vaccines caused her son to develop autism.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
National security leaders’ use of Signal to discuss plans for airstrikes in Yemen made for a contentious hearing Tuesday, as Senate Intelligence Democrats excoriated Trump administration officials for their carelessness, and chat participants denied discussing classified information.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2025
His vast wealth also has its liabilities in a party where billionaires are more often excoriated than celebrated.
8.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
McCarthy, an actress, model and talk show host, has been excoriated by the scientific community for her belief that vaccines caused her son to develop autism.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
National security leaders’ use of Signal to discuss plans for airstrikes in Yemen made for a contentious hearing Tuesday, as Senate Intelligence Democrats excoriated Trump administration officials for their carelessness, and chat participants denied discussing classified information.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excoriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excoriate
Verb
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There are several leaf spotting diseases that can attack hydrangeas.—
Janet B. Carson,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2025
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For example, if China can pin down the United States in the Taiwan Strait, Russia and Iran may seize the moment to attack their neighbors.—
Mark Melton,
National Review,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Sturdy posts at the front of the shoes connect to a flip-flop style design that won’t irritate or chafe your skin, while the supportive insoles are far better-suited for days spent on your feet than flimsy, cheaper sandals.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2025
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There are pull-ups made with Velcro that can irritate your child’s skin, especially when misaligned.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Five months after beating New York Red Bulls for the club’s sixth MLS Cup title, the Galaxy lost the rematch 7-0 in New York — seven-nil — prompting an impromptu team scolding on the field by Vanney after the final whistle.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 May 2025
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The moment a golden retriever and his feline friend were scolded by their owner for their behavior during her trip has left people in stitches.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The decision also sparked fierce debate from religious conservatives who criticized one board member’s staunch opposition to introducing prayer.—
Nora O’Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2025
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In the Verizon and T-Mobile deals, the FCC only approved the transaction after each company agreed to end DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies criticized by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The Florida Panthers slammed the door on that, crushing that hope with a three-goal flurry in the second period and a game-winner in the third period.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
29 May 2025
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The 58-year-old man driving the truck reportedly then lost control of his vehicle before slamming into a nearby Honda Odyssey and sending them both into a guard rail, WOFL and CBS affiliate WKMG-TV reported.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
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After Trump initially insulted Springsteen and Swift on May 16, the American Federation of Musicians International stepped up to defend the artists.—
Anna Chan,
Billboard,
21 May 2025
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The young adults had been insulting each other over text messages in an argument over a girl.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excoriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excoriate. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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