KEELHAUL Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

keelhaul

verb

ˈkēl-ˌhȯl

Definition of keelhaul

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

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Example 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 To hell with a class action suit, these people should have been keelhauled under the Staten Island Ferry for a year. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 25 Oct. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhaul

Verb

By the time his daughter shows up, flanked by her mom and upright dentist stepdad, Lee’s moved on from scolding the room to thanking his mother for believing him.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
District of Columbia Judge Ana Reyes angrily scolded government attorneys in a hearing to block the government from cutting down more trees at East Potomac Golf Course.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of scold

Verb

The Denver school board censured director Monica Hunter on Thursday night, the third time in five years that the governing body of Colorado’s largest K-12 district has publicly reprimanded a colleague.

— Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
She was reprimanded by the House Rules and Ethics Committee for her stunt with the bullhorn.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of reprimand

Verb

Analysts blame the brand’s reliance on Chuck Taylors and question whether Nike might sell it, though Nike says Converse remains an important part of its portfolio.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Macron acknowledged legitimate concerns of the protesters, while blaming the far left for the violence.

— Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026