scold

[skohld]

verb (used with object)

1. to find fault with angrily; chide; reprimand.

   The teacher scolded me for being late.

   Synonyms: censure, reprove
   Antonyms: praise

verb (used without object)

1. to find fault; reprove.

2. to use abusive language.

noun

1. a person who is constantly scolding, often with loud and abusive speech.

2. common scold.

scold

/ skəʊld /

verb

1. to find fault with or reprimand (a person) harshly; chide

2. (intr) to use harsh or abusive language

noun

1. a person, esp a woman, who constantly finds fault

Other Word Forms

• scoldable adjective
• scolder noun
• scoldingly adverb
• outscold verb (used with object)
• unscolded adjective
• scolding noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of scold¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; (noun) Middle English, variant of scald, from Old Norse skald “poet” (as author of insulting poems); skald; (verb) Middle English scolden, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of scold¹

C13: from Old Norse _skald

Synonym Study

See reproach.

Example Sentences

She tried to muster the will to scold her pupils for the hundredth time that morning but found she could not.

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“Like a big sister who everyone ignores when cooing over the new baby,” she scolded herself sternly.

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Under normal circumstances, Penelope would have scolded the children for being disrespectful, although the truth was that she, too, often found Lady Constance to be a rather silly person.

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The children had apologized, but clearly they also felt that an injustice had been done, for why should they be scolded for playing matador when the housekeeper was not?

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But that would have been improper, and I didn’t want to be scolded for misbehaving.

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Related Words

• admonish 
• berate 
• blame 
• castigate 
• censure 
• chide 
• criticize 
• denounce 
• rebuke 
• reprimand 
• reproach 
• taunt 
• upbraid 
• vilify 

When To Use

What does scold mean?

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 againA 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.