keelhauling

verb

present participle of keelhaul
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings there's no need to keelhaul him—it was an honest mistake, and a small one at that

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhauling
  1. scolding
  2. lecturing
  3. reprimanding
Verb
  • Others criticized Anderson for seemingly scolding fans and trying to tell them where to sit.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Now the older generation is scolding workers for having a different view on interview etiquette without recognizing the cold reality of today’s job market.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of scolding
Verb
  • For decades, Zinn traveled the country lecturing to packed auditoriums.
    — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The bald guy lecturing me on how to get the money looked real enough, but the question of his true being kept rattling around my increasingly paranoid mind.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of lecturing
Verb
  • Instead of reprimanding his pet, Linnetz seems to recognize the moment as a potentially good shot.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The audience awkwardly chuckles, and Scovel, eyes still closed, begins reprimanding them.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of reprimanding
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Keelhauling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhauling. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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