scold

Scold means to angrily or harshly tell someone that they’ve said or done something you think is wrong, often with the intent of making them feel bad about it so that they don’t do it again

A person may scold both other people and animals when they do something wrong. When it comes to people, it is often adults scolding children.

The noun scold refers to a person who frequently judges other people or points out their faults. This sense of the word is almost always used negatively to imply that such a person scolds too much or is often angry.

Example: My dad scolded my dog after it chewed up the couch.

The first records of scold come from about 1150. It was used as both a noun and a verb (as scolden) in Middle English. It ultimately comes from the Old Norse word skald, “author of insulting poems.”

Odds are good that at some point in your life, you were scolded by your parents or a teacher when you misbehaved. When a person scolds someone else, they are making it clear that they disapprove of what the person did by angrily lecturing or criticizing them. The goal is to embarrass or shame the person so they won’t repeat the behavior. For example, a school teacher is very likely to scold a bully if they catch them in the act.

The word scold is often used specifically to describe when an adult corrects the behavior of a child or pet.

What are some other forms related to scold?

• scoldable (adjective)
• scolder (noun)
• scolding (noun)
• scoldingly (adverb)
• outscold (verb)

What are some synonyms for scold?

• admonish
• berate
• criticize
• reproach
• chid

What are some words that share a root or word element with scold? 

• skald

What are some words that often get used in discussing scold?

• discipline
• lecture
• child
• pet

Scold is particularly used when parents or teachers are criticizing a person. The noun form is almost always used negatively.

I bought a happy meal so I can get the minion figurine even tho my mom scolded me hehe

— Giaan Nguyen (@minipasta__) June 29, 2020

Finally went to my dentist and she scolded me like anything 😭

— ~~Tαɳเҡα ~~ (@tanika_11) July 6, 2020

I'm so sore, that I can't even get up to scold my puppy when he's chewing on my socks.

— Allie Lehman (@alliepal) July 22, 2009

Is scold used correctly in the following sentence?

My coach was so happy with my impressive performance that he scolded me in front of the team.