pillory
noun
a wooden framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used to expose an offender to public derision.
pillorying
-
present participleof pillory.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Tom Lehrer, an acerbic songwriter and Harvard-trained mathematician who rose to fame in the 1950s and ’60s by pillorying the sensibilities of the day, has died at age 97.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2025
That didn’t stop the Energy Department from pillorying the findings.
From Salon ● May 6, 2025
Emanuel wanted to turn quickly to an overhaul of Wall Street laws, with congressional hearings pillorying rich bankers who had sunk the economy with bad trades.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 6, 2021
Straight after his annual Remembrance Day pillorying, James McClean could find himself in the spotlight on Thursday, when the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland meet for a friendly in Dublin.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 15, 2018
They were pillorying him with the light and matchless cruelty of wits.
From A Splendid Hazard by Harold MacGrath
