Synonym Chooser

How does the verb vituperate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vituperate are berate, rail, revile, scold, and upbraid. While all these words mean "to reproach angrily and abusively," vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

In what contexts can berate take the place of vituperate?

While the synonyms berate and vituperate are close in meaning, berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

When is it sensible to use rail instead of vituperate?

The meanings of rail and vituperate largely overlap; however, rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

When might revile be a better fit than vituperate?

The synonyms revile and vituperate are sometimes interchangeable, but revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

Where would scold be a reasonable alternative to vituperate?

The words scold and vituperate can be used in similar contexts, but scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

When can upbraid be used instead of vituperate?

While in some cases nearly identical to vituperate, upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vituperate
Verb
  • By the way, it was attacked from the Pentagon and from the White House as being fake news that this was going to happen and Elon Musk denounced the leak.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • This was a departure from Mourinho and Conte, who both moaned about investment, attacked the club culture, exited unceremoniously, and bad-mouthed them afterward.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Omari Hardwick scolded an interviewer who misquoted him in a seeming attempt to stir up drama between the actor and Power producer 50 Cent.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • On Wednesday, the couple jokingly addressed the awkward interview in which Hilaria scolded Alec for interrupting her during a red carpet moment that has since gone viral.
    Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Had the supporter unloaded some scathing abuse, said something demeaning about his appearance, or insulted his family, such a reaction would have been warranted.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The exultant right-wing influencers who cheer on MAGA’s sassy clapback anti-diplomacy should remember that insulting another country’s politicians is like insulting someone else’s family.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Ruffin was quick with her answer, slamming the Republican party for her removal from the WHCA dinner.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The Kings lost nine of their last 12 games to open the door for the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference play-in race, but that door might have slammed shut Sunday.
    Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • They were savaged so badly in Rolling Stone that, a decade later, the writer apologized for betraying the team’s trust.
    Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Democrats savaged the proposal, warning electing justices would weaken judicial independence.
    Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In a 1907 essay, the writer Ito Sakon criticized the idea of escaping the hot urban summer, instead presenting the heat as an opportunity for self-improvement.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 23 Mar. 2025
  • But McGregor faces an uphill task to get his name on the ballot as few Irish lawmakers share his vehement anti-immigrant views, and many publicly criticized him after the civil case last November.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Vituperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vituperate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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