Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for berating. Search instead for Regrating.
Synonyms

berating

American  
[bih-rey-ting] / bɪˈreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act or habit of scolding, rebuking, or harshly criticizing another.

    The player earned a red card for his constant berating of the referee.

adjective

  1. scolding, rebuking, or harshly criticizing.

    When you talk to him about these behavioral issues, take care not to use a berating tone.

Etymology

Origin of berating

First recorded in 1830–40; berat(e) ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun; berat(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective

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.

Top of Wooden’s list was an insistence that Close could succeed without berating players.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Despite Egadze scoring only 154.79 for the free skate - 27 points lower than his season best - there was no berating.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

She claims in her suit that Reid retaliated against her after she spurned his advances, berating her in front of staff after she brought in a young Kanye West for a label audition.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026

There is romance, drama, pathos and the verbal berating of hotel staff and music video directors.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

It sounds as if he’s berating her, but he’s telling the girl what to do.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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.