FLAYING Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

flaying

verb

present participle of flay

as in scolding

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

as in peeling

to remove the natural covering of flayed their kill right there in the forest, taking both the meat and the skin home

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of flaying The end came with England on 50-0, with Stokes flaying Foulkes to Mitchell at mid-on. — ABC News, 28 June 2026 Dwight grabbed my arm, wrenching my hand out of my pocket, flaying it like a fish, pulling me along. — Literary Hub, 15 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaying

Verb

Rather than scolding parents about screens, society could do more to support families in ways that obviate the need for screen time.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
Do not punish your dog by scolding or yelling at them, as this may make your dog's behavior worse out of fear or stress.

— Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 28 July 2026

Definition of scolding

Verb

But the $16 million project faced immediate problems, including peeling blue sealant and a fierce return of green algae.

— Matthew Daly, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
The Sports Illustrated model arrived at the seaside outing in a billowy white dress before peeling it off to take a dip in the Mediterranean.

— Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of peeling

Verb

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon criticized Spain for lecturing Israel on security while struggling to control its own border.

— Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Fauci stepped down from his NIAID post at the end of 2022 and segued to a lecturing job at Georgetown.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026

Definition of lecturing

Verb

Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Earlier this week, Scott Agness claimed his press credentials were revoked by the team after his reporting led to the WNBA reprimanding the Fever for not being transparent about Clark’s health status during a game on May 20.

— Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026

Definition of reprimanding

Verb

Mamdani’s office posted an 88-second video criticizing Amazon’s use of the subcontractor model.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
The city’s Environment and Utilities Commission declined to recommend approval, criticizing officials for insufficient public outreach.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of criticizing

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flayed

flaying

flays

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“Flaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaying. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of flaying

verb

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