flays

verb

present tense third-person singular of flay
1
as in scolds
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in peels
to remove the natural covering of flayed their kill right there in the forest, taking both the meat and the skin home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flays
  1. scolds
  2. peels
  3. lectures
  4. barks
  5. reprimands
  6. blames
  7. criticizes
Verb
  • Some intergenerational sparring ensues, as Kevin scolds Arthur for his more outré boomer comments, and Arthur in turn sneers at his grandson’s millennial lameness.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The audience screams in response, and Scovel scolds them again but this time with a smile.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of scolds
Verb
  • The crust of the tangible world peels away, and hidden spiritual and moral realities become prominent and unmistakable.
    — Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Across the conference table, Sosanya plays Beatrice like steel swaddled in cashmere, while Miles Jupp, as her colleague David, peels away his genteel snobbery to reveal an unexpectedly dorky underbelly.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of peels
Verb
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Professors structure lectures with an awareness of how a sentence might circulate online.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of lectures
Verb
  • Others work automatically whenever the canine barks too loudly or too much.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • New people can still require an adjustment period for Lainey, who initially barks when meeting someone unfamiliar.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of barks
Verb
  • Being a fly on the wall is precisely what Hard Knocks makes viewers feel like in the moment when Head Coach Mike Macdonald reprimands linebacker Derick Hall for getting too close to a quarterback.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The emperor reprimands her for being late for the rainmaking ritual.
    — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Definition of reprimands
Verb
  • Within days, her complaint – which names fraternity members and others, and blames Cornell and its police department for failure to act on her original report – became a focus of intense public attention.
    — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But the British Beer & Pub Association blames tax and overheads, and across the EU, the share of beer drunk in pubs, bars, and restaurants has stopped shrinking after years of decline.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of blames
Verb
  • One candidate promises to lower gas and grocery prices and criticizes the incumbent for not doing so (as if politicians can control the market).
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Reddington says the defense won the case and criticizes the holdout juror.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of criticizes
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.

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flaying
flays
fleabag
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Cite this Entry

“Flays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flays. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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