berate
verb (used with object)
was berating
-
past progressiveof berate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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 father had come to the son’s bedroom, and was berating his wife about a misplaced letter from an insurance company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2025
On the touchline, Postecoglou was going potty, somehow managing to gesticulate wildly in six different directions at the same time in the kind of fluid movement that was utterly beyond the players he was berating.
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2024
As recently as February, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was berating the city’s stay-at-home workforce: “You can’t stay home in your pajamas all day.”
From Slate ● Dec. 23, 2022
Ja’Niah told The New York Times last spring that Ms. Bonner was berating them for not being clean enough and for disrespecting their foster mother.
From New York Times ● Mar. 11, 2022
Again he was berating himself for bothering his mind over trivial things.
From The Gray Phantom's Return by Herman Landon
