as in shrew
a bad-tempered scolding woman
the film portrays the figure skater's mother as a strict and controlling harridan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of harridan
And Day, with a face of expressive misery and the energy of an imploding firecracker, portrays her as a shrewd fusion of harridan and victim.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 Aug. 2024
The subtext throughout is that Tendler is a harridan, a domineering scold.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 16 Aug. 2024
He was still steeled, still prepared for some harridan.
—Graham Swift, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2024
Richard Millet became a kind of referendum on what wasn’t yet termed cancel culture, with Ernaux denounced as a harridan intent on enforcing politically correct censorship at the expense of a man’s career.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2022
Throughout her tenure as House speaker, Pelosi has been painted by Trump supporters as an unhinged harridan: crazy, conniving and hungry for power.
—Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2022
Allen’s account paints Mia Farrow as an abusive, baby-crazed harridan who beat and brainwashed her many children.
—Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2020
Still, for a generation brought up to smile in the face of almost any affront or risk being tarred as a harridan, older women’s indignation seems ripe for reassessment.
—New York Times, 30 July 2019
Surely Socrates, married to that many-years-younger harridan Xanthippe, would be in line for a Nobel.
—Joseph Epstein, WSJ, 11 May 2018
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 Aug. 2024
The subtext throughout is that Tendler is a harridan, a domineering scold.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 16 Aug. 2024
He was still steeled, still prepared for some harridan.
—Graham Swift, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2024
Richard Millet became a kind of referendum on what wasn’t yet termed cancel culture, with Ernaux denounced as a harridan intent on enforcing politically correct censorship at the expense of a man’s career.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2022
Throughout her tenure as House speaker, Pelosi has been painted by Trump supporters as an unhinged harridan: crazy, conniving and hungry for power.
—Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2022
Allen’s account paints Mia Farrow as an abusive, baby-crazed harridan who beat and brainwashed her many children.
—Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2020
Still, for a generation brought up to smile in the face of almost any affront or risk being tarred as a harridan, older women’s indignation seems ripe for reassessment.
—New York Times, 30 July 2019
Surely Socrates, married to that many-years-younger harridan Xanthippe, would be in line for a Nobel.
—Joseph Epstein, WSJ, 11 May 2018
Thesaurus Entries Near harridan
Cite this Entry
“Harridan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harridan. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share