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
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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
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
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The Anti-Defamation League is scolding Elon Musk after coming to the billionaire titan’s defense earlier in the week.—
James Hibberd,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Jan. 2025
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Those opinions are usually punctuated by scolding those who do not immediately comply.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Instead of a letter of concern, the board officially reprimanded Simmons.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Jan. 2025
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Handler told Parade in a Jan. 3 cover story that the Grace and Frankie star reprimanded her for poor behavior at the event.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Weissmann also lectured at Harvard, Yale and the AFI and taught at USC and Sherwood Oaks Experimental College.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Jan. 2025
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But first, she is scolded, lectured and psychoanalyzed by the prosecutor and judge.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Finally, blaming the pharmaceutical industry for high drug costs has historically been PBMs’ go-to defense.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
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While most economists agree that Biden was not to blame for inflation, the yearslong bout of sharp-rising prices hit Americans hard and, ultimately, cast a thick cloud over Biden’s presidency that carried through to the November election.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN,
19 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near keelhaul
Cite this Entry
“Keelhaul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keelhaul. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
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