1
as in scolds
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flays
Verb
-
McMahon likes to remind scolds that wrestling is a morality play.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026 -
This cross-partisan skit is refreshing and the only people who might hate it are Cuomo supporters and maybe some woke scolds.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As the ball comes in, two players move towards either post and another is positioned at or peels away to the penalty spot, with the ensuing chaos providing opportunities to score.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Lemon peels speed up decomposition in your compost bin.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When not writing, May frequently lectures on the politics and policies of mass incarceration for university classes, academic conferences, and online events.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
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With me, my wife lectures me more than my children.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Much like a dog that barks at every little noise and passerby, my skin is reactive.—
Devon Abelman,
Allure,
24 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, the same neighbor’s dog barks at all hours, day and night, and a large shoe rack sits outside her door — an eyesore and a fire code violation.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The oil industry blames California’s environmental policies for driving them out.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Over a year after their podcast Plan Bri Uncut ended, LaPaglia blames Call Her Daddy’s founding father, Alex Cooper, for the nail in the coffin for her friendship with O’Malley.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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OpenAI memo criticizes Anthropic watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Schiavo raised a similar concern, noting that the National Transportation Safety Board regularly criticizes the Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators for not implementing obvious solutions, even after accidents occur.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Flays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flays. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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