berate
verb
be·rate bi-ˈrāt 
bē-
berated; berating; berates
transitive verb
: to scold or condemn vehemently and at length
being berated by her parents when she came home late
Did you know?
Berate and Rate
Berate and rate can both mean "to rebuke angrily or violently." This sense of rate was first recorded in the 14th century, centuries before the familiar (and etymologically unrelated) rate meaning "to estimate the value of." We know that berate was probably formed by combining the prefix be- and the older rate, but the origins of this particular rate itself are somewhat more obscure.
Synonyms
- baste
- bawl out
- call down
- castigate
- chastise
- chew out
- dress down
- flay
- hammer
- jaw
- keelhaul
- lambaste
- lambast
- lecture
- rag
- rail (at or against)
- rant (at)
- rate
- ream (out)
- rebuke
- reprimand
- reproach
- scold
- score
- tongue-lash
- upbraid
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
there's no need to berate someone for making a mistake during the first day on the job
Recent Examples on the Web On cue, his supporters followed suit and began to berate me. 
San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2022 Post-verdict, the hostility toward Heard raged on, with people using the hashtag #MeToo to berate her and feeling emboldened by the verdict to do so. Sara Ashley O'brien, CNN, 2 June 2022 During his time at the United Nations, Kyslytsya has been known for brandishing unusually colorful, Twitter-ready language to berate Russia over its actions in Ukraine. Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 26 May 2022 Winkler’s father, Harry, a cultured, commanding little Napoleon, was fluent in maybe six languages, and used more than one of them to berate his son. New York Times, 27 Apr. 2022 According to Heard, Depp proceeded to slam her against a wall, squeeze her neck, berate her and throw her across the room onto a table. Christi Carrasstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2022 Ye has also rapped about Kardashian’s new beau, Pete Davidson, and also encouraged fans via his Instagram account to berate the comedian. Anna Chan, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2022 Other prisoners shouted and banged on the bars of their cells, and the prison warden rushed to berate them. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2022 Eventually, his guilt drives him to call his father to berate him for forever looming over Jack and Marilyn, keeping them from being close because their relationship was tainted with the memory of Stanley's brutality. Amanda Ostuni, EW.com, 26 Jan. 2022 See More
San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2022 Post-verdict, the hostility toward Heard raged on, with people using the hashtag #MeToo to berate her and feeling emboldened by the verdict to do so. Sara Ashley O'brien, CNN, 2 June 2022 During his time at the United Nations, Kyslytsya has been known for brandishing unusually colorful, Twitter-ready language to berate Russia over its actions in Ukraine. Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 26 May 2022 Winkler’s father, Harry, a cultured, commanding little Napoleon, was fluent in maybe six languages, and used more than one of them to berate his son. New York Times, 27 Apr. 2022 According to Heard, Depp proceeded to slam her against a wall, squeeze her neck, berate her and throw her across the room onto a table. Christi Carrasstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2022 Ye has also rapped about Kardashian’s new beau, Pete Davidson, and also encouraged fans via his Instagram account to berate the comedian. Anna Chan, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2022 Other prisoners shouted and banged on the bars of their cells, and the prison warden rushed to berate them. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2022 Eventually, his guilt drives him to call his father to berate him for forever looming over Jack and Marilyn, keeping them from being close because their relationship was tainted with the memory of Stanley's brutality. Amanda Ostuni, EW.com, 26 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1548, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
berate
verb
be·rate bi-ˈrāt
berated; berating
: to scold in a loud and angry way
berating 1 of 2
noun
as in reprimand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- reprimand
- rebuke
- lashing
- lambasting
- reproof
- criticism
- invective
- castigation
- denunciation
- vituperation
- condemnation
- chewing out
- dissing
- attack
- censure
- diatribe
- tirade
- assault
- tongue-lashing
- abuse
- harangue
- reproach
- disparagement
- jeremiad
- belittlement
- philippic
- rant
- depreciation
- excoriation
- lecture
- sermon
- revilement
- broadside
- admonishment
- deprecation
- admonition
- execration
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- praise
- tribute
- eulogy
- encomium
- honor
- panegyric
- citation
- approval
- homage
- sanction
- acclaim
- blessing
- endorsement
- acclamation
- commendation
- accolade
- rhapsody
- indorsement
- ovation
- rave
- plaudit
berating
2 of 2verb
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings there's no need to berate someone for making a mistake during the first day on the job Synonyms & Similar Words
- scolding
- lecturing
- reprimanding
- criticizing
- blaming
- chastising
- upbraiding
- admonishing
- castigating
- lambasting
- rebuking
- mocking
- attacking
- reproaching
- ragging
- jawing
- flaying
- chiding
- hammering
- faulting
- dressing down
- keelhauling
- calling down
- chewing out
- basting
- bawling out
- tongue-lashing
- scoring
- haranguing
- rating
- slamming
- denouncing
- belittling
- laying into
- ridiculing
- lashing
- reviling
- crucifying
- condemning
- excoriating
- assailing
- disparaging
- knocking
- reading the riot act (to)
- reproving
- reaming (out)
- ranting (at)
- taking to task
- censuring
- abusing
- railing (at or against)
- blasting
- bad-mouthing
- panning
- scoffing
- scorning
- dissing
- scourging
- vituperating
- remonstrating (with)
- reprehending
- lacing (into)
- putting down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approving
- endorsing
- praising
- sanctioning
- indorsing
- lauding
- extolling