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Definition of scold

scold

/skoʊld/
scold
Plural:scolds
•
Past Simple:scolded
•
Past Participle:scolded
•
Present Participle:scolding
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scold Lexical Profile

scold Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To rebuke, reprimand, or criticize someone angrily and persistence-driven, especially a child.

Example

"The mother had to scold her son for tracking mud across the clean kitchen floor."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• noun

1

A person who constantly nags, criticizes, or finds fault, or historically, a woman who disturbed the public peace by noisy and abusive speech.

Example

"Nobody wanted to invite the neighborhood scold to the community picnic."

Synonyms
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• Rhymes for scold

• Nearby Words

scoffer
scoffingly
scofflaw
scold
scolder
scolding
scoldingly

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'scold', a person of ribald speech, likely borrowed from Old Norse 'skáld' (poet), as Norse poets were famous for composing biting satirical verses of ridicule.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Scold. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/scold
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