berate

American

[bih-reyt] / bɪˈreɪt /

verb (used with object)

berated, berating

to scold; rebuke.

He berated them in public.

Synonyms:

vilify, objurgate, vituperate, abuse

berate British

/ bɪˈreɪt /

verb

(tr) to scold harshly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of berate

First recorded in 1540–50; be- + rate ²

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.

The Australian skipper removed him for a 13th time in Tests, more than any other bowler, with a furious Root berating himself after prodding at a full delivery and feathering to Carey.

From Barron's

On 88, one short of his previous best in Australia, Root berated himself for pushing and missing outside off stump to bowler Cameron Green.

From BBC

If you berate yourself for what you deem parenting mistakes, don’t let it eat away at you.

From MarketWatch

The beauty pageant drew backlash earlier this month after its Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly berated Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, at a pre-pageant event for not posting promotional content on her social media platforms.

From BBC

There, Foden and senior staff "berated" her daughter for hours, she said, and warned her that her comments could "ruin her future" and affect her chances of getting into university.

From BBC

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