verb
berate
bih-RAYT
Berate (verb) means to scold someone harshly and at length. Example: “Her boss berated her in front of the whole team for the missed deadline.”
verb
1
To scold someone harshly and at length.
"Her boss berated her in front of the whole team for the missed deadline."
"He berated himself for forgetting his mother's birthday."
How to use berate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo tell someone off angrily, usually going on about it rather than a quick word.
Common mistake
Berate always implies harsh, sustained criticism — it is stronger than "correct" or "criticize" and usually carries anger.
Common pairings
berate someone for
berate himself
publicly berated
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- berates
- Past tense
- berated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her boss _____ her in front of the whole team for the missed deadline.
Etymology
From be- (an intensifying prefix) plus rate, an old verb meaning "to scold" — so berate literally means to rate someone down hard.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for berate
See all rhymes for berate →Frequently asked questions
What does “berate” mean?
The word “berate” means to scold someone harshly and at length. In plain terms, to tell someone off angrily, usually going on about it rather than a quick word.
How do you pronounce “berate”?
“Berate” is pronounced bih-RAYT (/bɪˈɹeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “berate” in a sentence?
Here is “berate” used in a sentence: “Her boss berated her in front of the whole team for the missed deadline.”
What part of speech is “berate”?
“Berate” is a verb.
