berate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Etymology
Origin of berate
Explanation
A strong verb for harshly cutting someone down with words is berate. "He didn't just correct the cashier who gave him the wrong change — he started to berate her, calling her names in front of the whole store." When you berate someone, you do more than just raise your voice at them; berate implies putting someone down by insulting their character. This word comes from a 16th-century English and French root meaning "to scold or blame." Often the anger behind the scolding seems over-the-top, as in "When the young man behind the counter dropped the scoop of vanilla, the manager berated him excessively by declaring him worthless and weak."
Vocabulary lists containing berate
Instead of "Said": Vexed Verbiage to Express Anger
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Refugee
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Demitra got on stage and her material did not receive a reaction from the audience, she started to berate the crowd with insults, according to Montoya.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
Lanning still recalls that early during his brief stint, he stepped in to run a drill, only for Saban to berate him for teaching it incorrectly to the watching players.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025
If you berate yourself for what you deem parenting mistakes, don’t let it eat away at you.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025
Arnaud de Borchgrave, the former editor of the Washington Times and the first host of CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” had me on the first broadcast to berate me.
From Salon • Jan. 30, 2025
Was it Mother come to berate me, or Harry come to rescue me?
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
