scold

1 of 2

verb

ˈskōld 

scolded; scolding; scolds

transitive verb

: to censure usually severely or angrily : rebuke

intransitive verb

1

: to find fault noisily or angrily

2

obsolete : to quarrel noisily

scolder noun

scold

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: one who scolds habitually or persistently

b

dated, sometimes offensive : a woman who disturbs the public peace by noisy and quarrelsome or abusive behavior

2

: scolding

Synonyms

Verb

• baste
• bawl out
• berate
• 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
• score
• tongue-lash
• upbraid

Choose the Right Synonym for scold

scold, upbraid, berate, rail, revile, vituperate mean to reproach angrily and abusively.

scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

Examples of scold in a Sentence

Verb

“You should never have done that,” she scolded.

he scolded the kids for not cleaning up the mess they had made in the kitchen

Noun

He can be a bit of a scold sometimes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Critics at the time said those changes hurt trans athletes, but Hawley and Kennedy scolded Baker this week that no trans women should be allowed in women’s sports at all — a position that’s become a major part of the GOP agenda over the past several years. —Samantha Riedel, Them, 20 Dec. 2024

Chalamet, who played Laurie opposite Ronan's Jo in the 2019 adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott literary classic, recalled his friend and acting colleague scolding him on set for being late to hair and makeup. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024

Noun

Don’t be a scold, don’t be a moaner, don’t be a finger-wagging elitist, don’t be an eco-bore, don’t be a mentally ill homeless guy. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 5 May 2022

His showdowns with the head of the local diocese, played as a puckish scold by Malcolm McDowell, are some of the best in the film. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English scald, scold, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skāld poet, skald, Icelandic skālda to make scurrilous verse

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

scold

1 of 2 noun

ˈskōld 

: a person who scolds constantly

scold

2 of 2 verb

1

: to find fault noisily or angrily

2

: to criticize severely or angrily