as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
there's no need to keelhaul him—it was an honest mistake, and a small one at that
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 keelhaul
And other than a recession, which generally keelhauls buyback plans, don’t expect companies to ease off their repurchases.
—
Larry Light, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2019
The threat posed by the AT&T-Time Warner merger is all the greater today because of the Trump administration’s initiative in keelhauling network neutrality at the Federal Communications Commission.
—Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, 12 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhaul
Verb
-
Video shared on social media by Country Central showed Bryan halting his performance and walking toward a microphone to scold the person responsible.Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
-
Among the many to scold this group for having their phones out in the cinema was the luxury theater chain Alamo Drafthouse, which is known for an especially strict no-phones policy.Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Lawmakers also made calls for the House Ethics Committee to look into the matter and demanded that Higgins be formally reprimanded. 2024 Presidential Election:When is the vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance?Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024
-
Judge denies Preston Lord defendant's request to return case to grand jury Cochise County judge reprimanded for issuing improper arrest warrant Tucson robbery cases for the year's first nine months were tacked at 598, reflecting a spike of 25 from all of last year.Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
We’re either lectured on the history of our own struggle, or appealed to with dire fearmongering and empty promises while our cries fall on deaf ears.Derrick Johnson, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2024
-
An increasingly jealous Seth Rollins lectured Sami Zayn about teaming with Roman Reigns after both of them worked so hard to end the Bloodline.Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
President-elect Donald Trump called for nonintervention in Syria, blaming the escalating situation on former President Barack Obama.Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Dec. 2024
-
TikTok has denied the allegations against it or blamed actions on individual bad actors within the company.Alison Durkee, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near keelhaul
Cite this Entry
“Keelhaul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhaul. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share