berate

verb

be·​rate bi-ˈrāt How to pronounce berate (audio)
bē-
berated; berating; berates
Synonyms of beratenext

transitive verb

: to scold or condemn vehemently and at length
being berated by her parents when she came home late

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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

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Choose the Right Synonym for berate

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 berate in a Sentence

there's no need to berate someone for making a mistake during the first day on the job
Recent Examples on the Web Walk onto the court during a timeout to berate the opposing team’s two-time national player of the year? —Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024 Those two boys told the residents that they were hit for not doing chores fast enough and were berated by staff. —Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for berate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'berate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of berate was in 1548

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Dictionary Entries Near berate

berat

berate

berattle

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Berate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/berate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

berate

verb
be·​rate bi-ˈrāt How to pronounce berate (audio)
: to scold forcefully

More from Merriam-Webster on berate

Nglish: Translation of berate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of berate for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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