| Main Entry: | berate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize hatefully |
Synonyms: |
bawl out, blister, call down, castigate, censure, chew out, chew*, chide, cuss out, eat out, give one hell, give what for, jaw, jump all over, rail at, rake over the coals, rate, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, revile, scold, scorch, tell off, tongue-lash, upbraid, vituperate |
Antonyms: |
compliment, hail, praise |
| Main Entry: | abuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack with words |
Synonyms: |
backbite, bad-mouth, bash, belittle, berate, blow off, calumniate, cap, castigate, cuss out, cut down, cut to the quick, decry, defame, derogate, discount, do a number on, dump on, give a black eye, hurl brickbat, insult, knock*, minimize, nag, offend, oppress, persecute, pick on, put down*, rag on, reproach, revile, ride*, rip up, run down, scold, signify, slam*, slap, sling mud, smear, sound*, swear at, tear apart, trash*, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, zing |
| Notes: | abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harm to misuse is to use something wrongly, to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it |
Antonyms: |
acclaim, adulate, approve, commend, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | admonish |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | warn, strongly criticize |
Synonyms: |
advise, berate, call down, call on the carpet, censure, check, chide, come down hard on, counsel, ding, draw the line, enjoin, exhort, forewarn, give a going over, give a piece of one's mind, glue*, growl*, hoist, jack up, notice, rap on knuckles, rap, rebuke, reprimand, reprove, scold, sit on, slap on wrist, speak to, talk to, tell a thing or two, tell off, upbraid, warn |
Antonyms: |
applaud, approve, commend, compliment, extol, flatter, laud, praise |
| Main Entry: | assail |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack, usually with words |
Synonyms: |
abuse, assault, bash, berate, beset, blast, blister, bust, charge, come at, criticize, encounter, have at, impugn, invade, lambaste, lay into, malign, maltreat, molest, revile, set upon, trash*, vilify, work over |
| Main Entry: | attack |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | assault verbally |
Synonyms: |
abuse, berate, blame, blitz, censure, criticize, impugn, jump down one's throat, jump on one's case, lay into, malign, refute, reprove, revile, shoot down, stretch, vilify |
Antonyms: |
defend, resist, submit, withstand |
| Main Entry: | baste |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | pummel, thrash |
Synonyms: |
batter, beat, berate, blister, clobber, club, drub, lambaste, lash, maul, pelt, revile, scold, trounce, wallop, whip, whomp |
| Main Entry: | castigate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize severely |
Synonyms: |
baste, bawl out, beat, berate, blister, cane, censure, chasten, chastise, chew out, come down on, correct, criticize, discipline, drag over the coals, dress down, drub, excoriate, flay, flog, jump down one's throat, lambaste, lash, lay out, lean on, penalize, pummel, punish, rail, rate, read the riot act, ream, rebuke, reprimand, scarify, scathe, scold, scorch, scourge, thrash, tongue-lash, upbraid, whip |
Antonyms: |
compliment, laud, praise |
| Main Entry: | censure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condemn; criticize severely |
Synonyms: |
abuse, admonish, animadvert, asperse, attack, backbite, berate, blame, carp at, castigate, cavil, chastise, chide, contemn, cut up, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, disapprove, discipline, disparage, exprobate, find fault with, get after, impugn, incriminate, judge, knock, lecture, look askance, ostracize, pick apart, pull apart, read out, rebuff, rebuke, remonstrate, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, take to task, tear apart, tell off, upbraid |
Antonyms: |
allow, approve, compliment, endorse, laud, permit, sanction |
| Main Entry: | chasten |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | correct, humiliate |
Synonyms: |
abase, admonish, afflict, berate, call down, castigate, chastise, chide, cow, curb, discipline, exprobate, fulminate against, have on the carpet, humble, objurgate, penalize, punish, rake over the coals, rebuke, reprehend, repress, reprimand, reproach, reprove, restrain, scold, scourge, soften, subdue, take to task, tame, tongue-lash, try, upbraid |
Antonyms: |
aid, animate, assist, boost, cheer, comfort, embolden, encourage, help, honor, uplift |
| Main Entry: | chastise |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | scold, discipline |
Synonyms: |
baste, beat, berate, castigate, censure, chasten, chew out, climb all over, correct, ferule, flog, lash, lay into, lean on, pummel, punish, ream, scourge, skelp, slap down, spank, thrash, upbraid, whip |
Antonyms: |
cheer, comfort, compliment, encourage, forgive, inspirit, promote |