Synonyms

berated

American

[bih-rey-tid] / bɪˈreɪ tɪd /

adjective

scolded or rebuked; criticized.

I get to my workplace all summer long using the city’s much berated public transportation system.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of criticize.

Etymology

Origin of berated

berate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has openly berated reporters during Pentagon briefings for using headlines the administration dislikes.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Back in January at the peak of the furore over Greenland, the Treasury Secretary openly berated Deutsche Bank’s George Saravelos after the currency strategist speculated that European institutions could dump $8 trillion of U.S.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

Noem routinely berated staff if she saw Homan on TV and kept track of both their appearances to make sure she was on TV more than him, according to people familiar with the matter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

A man dressed as Batman berated officials in the California city set to host the Super Bowl next month over claims they could let ICE officers patrol the NFL championship game.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

“His Highness wishes to entertain a more decorous final image of you than being held over a rock and berated by some parcel of insanity.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023