berated

[ bih-rey-tid ]

adjective

1. scolded or rebuked; criticized:

   I get to my workplace all summer long using the city’s much berated public transportation system.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of criticize ( def ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of berated¹

berate ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

In his paperwork, Jackson included a transcript of what he said was a conversation between himself and Palmer’s mother, Sharon, where she berated him with homophobic insults.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump has long displayed adversarial and flippant views of the U.S. intelligence community, flouted safeguards over classified information and directly berated the law enforcement agencies like the FBI.

From Seattle Times

His mother berated him for leaving school with a poorly defined plan.

From New York Times

Luch berated herself for not having thought to test the boy a day earlier, when she might have saved him if she had treated him for influenza.

From Seattle Times

His seemingly bulletproof confidence, his child-like grin as he berated and joked with strikers.

From BBC

Related Words

• castigate
• chide
• rebuke
• reprimand
• reproach
• revile
• scold
• upbraid