KEELHAULED Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

keelhauled

verb

past tense of keelhaul

as in scolded

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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for keelhauled

Verb

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
Eventually, all charges were dropped days before trial after Perry was finally given the full, unredacted grand jury transcripts and scolded prosecutors for violating the inherent trust placed in the office.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of scolded

Verb

Mandell was later formally reprimanded for allowing another client’s hearing to be delayed by six years, during which time two witnesses died.

— Samantha Melamed, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of reprimanded

Verb

Earhart lectured at the school before embarking on her final flight.

— News Editor, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Luann patiently attempts to explain that the women don’t like being lectured to about their business affairs, only for Vicki to abruptly answer a phone call mid-conversation.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of lectured

Verb

At least $343,100 is to be spent on surveillance after the president falsely blamed vandals for damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

— Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
Many senior Democrats blamed her, along with the rest of the family and his close aides, for hiding his condition.

— Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of blamed

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keelhaul

keelhauled

keelhauling

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“Keelhauled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhauled. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of keelhauled

verb

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