Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense scolds, present participle scolding, past tense, past participle scolded
verb
If you scold someone, you speak angrily to them because they have done something wrong.
[formal]
If he finds out, he'll scold me. [VERB noun]
Later she scolded her daughter for having talked to her father like that. [VERB noun + for]
'You should be at school,' he scolded. [VERB with quote]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: reprimand, censure, rebuke, rate More Synonyms of scold
More Synonyms of scold
scold in British English
(skəʊld)
verb
1.
to find fault with or reprimand (a person) harshly; chide
2. (intransitive)
to use harsh or abusive language
noun
3.
a person, esp a woman, who constantly finds fault
Derived forms
scoldable (ˈscoldable)
adjective
scolder (ˈscolder)
noun
scolding (ˈscolding)
noun
scoldingly (ˈscoldingly)
adverb
Word origin
C13: from Old Norse skald
scold in American English
(skoʊld)
noun
1.
a person, esp. a woman, who habitually uses abusive language
verb transitive
2.
to find fault with angrily; rebuke or chide severely
verb intransitive
3.
to find fault angrily
4.
to use abusive language habitually
SYNONYMY NOTE: scold is the common term meaning to find fault with or rebuke in angry, irritated, oftennagging language [a mother scolds a naughty child]; upbraid implies bitter reproach or censure and usually connotes justification for this [she upbraided me for my carelessness]; berate suggests continuous, heated, even violent reproach, often connoting excessive abuse[the old shrew continued berating them]; revile implies the use of highly abusive and contemptuous language and often connotes deliberatedefamation or slander [he reviled his opponent unmercifully]; vituperate suggests even greater violence in the attack [vituperating each other with foul epithets]
Derived forms
scolder (ˈscolder)
noun
scolding (ˈscolding)
adjective, noun
Word origin
ME scolde < ON skald, poet (prob. of satirical verses)
Examples of 'scold' in a sentence
scold
When she left we felt like two schoolboys scolded.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
During a large musical performance she had scolded a woman saving a seat for her husband while he parked the car.
Christianity Today (2000)
Since infancy, his father scolded him when he didn't stand up for himself and encouraged him to fight back if he was pushed around.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
scold
British English: scold /skəʊld/ VERB
If you scold someone, you speak angrily to them because they have done something wrong.
`You should be at school,' he scolded.
American English: scold
Arabic: يُعَنِّفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: ralhar
Chinese: 责骂
Croatian: prekoriti
Czech: vynadat
Danish: skælde ud
Dutch: uitvaren tegen
European Spanish: regañar
Finnish: moittia
French: gronder
German: schelten
Greek: κατσαδιάζω
Italian: sgridare
Japanese: しかる
Korean: 꾸짖다
Norwegian: kjefte (på)
Polish: złajać
European Portuguese: ralhar
Romanian: a dojeni
Russian: бранить
Latin American Spanish: regañar
Swedish: skälla på
Thai: ดุว่า
Turkish: azarlamak
Ukrainian: картати
Vietnamese: trách mắng
Chinese translation of 'scold'
scold
(skəuld)
vt
责(責)骂(罵) (zémà)
(verb)
Definition
to find fault with or rebuke (a person) harshly
If he finds out, he'll scold me.
Synonyms
reprimand
He was reprimanded by a teacher.
censure
I would not presume to censure him for his views.
rebuke
They have been seriously rebuked.
rate
blame
I do not blame them for trying to make some money.
lecture
He used to lecture me about getting too much sun.
carpet (informal)
slate (informal, mainly British)
Slated by critics at the time, the film has since become a classic.
nag
go on at
reproach
She is quick to reproach anyone.
berate
Marion berated Joe for the noise he made.
tick off (informal)
castigate
She castigated him for having no intellectual interests.
chide
He is quick to chide his staff for any mistakes or oversights.
tear into (informal)
tell off (informal)
find fault with
remonstrate with
bring (someone) to book
take (someone) to task
read the riot act
reprove
Women were reproved if they did not wear hats.
upbraid
Eleanor upbraided him for things he'd left undone.
bawl out (informal)
give (someone) a talking-to (informal)
haul (someone) over the coals (informal)
chew out (US, Canadian, informal)
give (someone) a dressing-down (informal)
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal)
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal)
vituperate
give (someone) a row
have (someone) on the carpet (informal)
Opposites
approve
,
praise
,
acclaim
,
applaud
, compliment,
commend
,
laud
,
extol
(noun)
Definition
a person, esp. a woman, who constantly scolds
Synonyms
nag
I get called a nag if I complain about anything.
shrew
termagant (rare)
Xanthippe
Additional synonyms
in the sense of berate
Definition
to scold harshly
Marion berated Joe for the noise he made.
Synonyms
scold,
rebuke,
reprimand,
reproach,
blast,
carpet (informal),
put down,
criticize,
slate (informal, British),
censure,
castigate,
revile,
chide,
harangue,
tear into (informal),
tell off (informal),
rail at,
flame (informal),
diss (slang),
read the riot act to,
reprove,
upbraid,
slap on the wrist,
lambast(e),
bawl out (informal),
excoriate,
rap over the knuckles,
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
vituperate
in the sense of blame
I do not blame them for trying to make some money.
Synonyms
criticize,
charge,
tax,
blast,
condemn,
flame (informal),
put down,
disapprove of,
censure,
reproach,
chide,
admonish,
tear into (informal),
diss (slang),
find fault with,
reprove,
upbraid,
lambast(e),
reprehend,
express disapprobation of
in the sense of castigate
Definition
to find fault with or reprimand (a person) harshly
She castigated him for having no intellectual interests.
Synonyms
reprimand,
blast,
carpet (informal),
flame (informal),
put down,
criticize,
lash,
slate (informal, British),
censure,
rebuke,
scold,
berate,
dress down (informal),
chastise,
chasten,
tear into (informal),
diss (slang),
read the riot act,
slap on the wrist,
lambast(e),
bawl out (informal),
excoriate,
rap over the knuckles,
haul over the coals (informal),
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal)
Nearby words of
scold
scintillating
scion
scoff
scold
scolding
scoop
scoop something or someone up
Synonyms of 'scold'
scold
Explore 'scold' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of censure
Definition
to criticize (someone or something) severely
I would not presume to censure him for his views.
Synonyms
criticize,
blame,
abuse,
condemn,
carpet (informal),
flame (informal),
denounce,
put down,
slate (informal),
rebuke,
reprimand,
reproach,
scold,
berate,
castigate,
chide,
tear into (informal),
diss (slang),
blast,
read the riot act,
reprove,
upbraid,
slap on the wrist,
damn,
lambast(e),
bawl out (informal),
excoriate,
rap over the knuckles,
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give (someone) a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
reprehend
in the sense of chide
Definition
to rebuke or scold
He is quick to chide his staff for any mistakes or oversights.
Synonyms
scold,
blame,
lecture,
carpet (informal),
flame (informal),
put down,
criticize,
slate (informal, British),
censure,
rebuke,
reprimand,
reproach,
berate,
tick off (informal),
admonish,
tear into (informal),
blast,
tell off (informal),
find fault,
diss (slang),
read the riot act,
reprove,
upbraid,
slap on the wrist,
lambast(e),
bawl out (informal),
rap over the knuckles,
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give (someone) a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
reprehend,
give (someone) a row (Scottish, informal),
check
in the sense of lecture
Definition
to scold (someone) at length
He used to lecture me about getting too much sun.
Synonyms
tell off (informal),
berate,
scold,
reprimand,
carpet (informal),
censure,
castigate,
chide,
admonish,
tear into (informal),
read the riot act,
reprove,
bawl out (informal),
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
give someone a talking-to (informal),
give someone a dressing-down (informal),
give someone a telling-off (informal)
in the sense of rate
Definition
to scold or criticize severely
Synonyms
scold,
blame,
carpet (informal),
flame (informal),
roast (informal),
censure,
rebuke,
reprimand,
berate,
castigate,
chide,
tear into (informal),
tell off (informal),
diss (slang),
take to task,
read the riot act,
tongue-lash,
reprove,
upbraid,
bawl out (informal),
haul over the coals (informal),
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
criticize severely
in the sense of rebuke
Definition
to scold sternly
They have been seriously rebuked.
Synonyms
scold,
censure,
reprimand,
reproach,
blame,
lecture,
carpet (informal),
berate,
tick off (informal),
castigate,
chide,
dress down (informal),
admonish,
tear into (informal),
tell off (informal),
take to task,
read the riot act,
reprove,
upbraid,
bawl out (informal),
haul (someone) over the coals (informal),
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
reprehend,
chew (someone's) ass (US, Canadian, taboo, slang)
in the sense of reproach
Definition
to express disapproval (of someone's actions)
She is quick to reproach anyone.
Synonyms
blame,
criticize,
rebuke,
reprimand,
abuse,
blast,
condemn,
carpet (informal),
flame (informal),
discredit,
censure (formal),
have a go at (informal),
scold,
disparage,
chide,
tear into (informal),
diss (slang),
defame,
find fault with,
take to task,
read the riot act to,
reprove (old-fashioned),
upbraid (archaic),
lambast(e),
bawl out (informal),
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
reprehend
in the sense of reprove
Definition
to speak severely to (someone) about a fault
Women were reproved if they did not wear hats.
Synonyms
rebuke,
censure,
reprimand,
scold,
check,
blame,
abuse,
condemn,
carpet (informal),
berate,
tick off (informal),
chide,
admonish,
tear into (informal),
tell off (informal),
take to task,
read the riot act,
upbraid,
bawl out (informal),
chew out (US, Canadian, informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (British, informal),
give a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),
reprehend
in the sense of slate
Definition
to criticize harshly
Slated by critics at the time, the film has since become a classic.
Synonyms
criticize,
blast,
pan (informal),
slam (slang),
blame,
roast (informal),
censure,
rebuke,
slang,
scold,
berate,
castigate,
rail against,
tear into (informal),
lay into (informal),
pitch into (informal),
take to task,
lambast(e),
flame (informal),
excoriate,
haul over the coals (informal),
tear (someone) off a strip (informal),
rap (someone's) knuckles
in the sense of upbraid
Definition
to scold or reproach
Eleanor upbraided him for things he'd left undone.
Synonyms
scold,
rebuke,
reprimand,
blame,
condemn,
lecture,
carpet (informal),
censure,
reproach,
berate,
castigate,
chide,
admonish,
tear into (informal),
read someone the riot act,
tell someone off (informal),
reprove,
take someone to task,
tick someone off (informal),
excoriate,
chew someone out (US, Canadian, informal),
bawl someone out (informal),
dress someone down (informal),
tear someone off a strip (British, informal),
give someone a rocket (British, New Zealand, informal),