1
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flay
Grammy winner Williams flays the mysterious character, and opens the show with her powerful vocals.
—
Dave Quinn, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
The radical potential of the scene has mostly evaporated, flattened and flayed into vague signifiers.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2024
Some of the homes were shoved off their concrete footings, while others had their roofs flayed off by the wind.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2024
Among the dead was Hugh de Cressingham, the king’s treasurer, whose corpse was reportedly flayed to make a sheath for Wallace’s sword.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flay
Dave Quinn, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
The radical potential of the scene has mostly evaporated, flattened and flayed into vague signifiers.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2024
Some of the homes were shoved off their concrete footings, while others had their roofs flayed off by the wind.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2024
Among the dead was Hugh de Cressingham, the king’s treasurer, whose corpse was reportedly flayed to make a sheath for Wallace’s sword.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flay
Verb
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Back in the fortress, the Man of Steel scolds Krypto for wrecking the joint while he was gone.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2025
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After the kid was saved, Beltran scolded the resident, reminding her not to bring her personal life into the ER — or her attending’s.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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There’s so many things to get wrong, from hard-boiling them without getting a green ring to peeling them without ripping out chunks of egg white.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
29 Mar. 2025
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The painstaking work has been underway for more than 24 hours, peeling back layers of debris in the hope of finding any of the dozens believed to be trapped underneath.—
Janis Mackey Frayer,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Quilting group hosts lecture, workshop El Camino Quilt Guild meets at 9:30 a.m. April 8 at El Corazon Senior Center, 3302 Senior Center Drive.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
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But the club’s members didn’t lecture or advocate until 20 years after its 1876 founding.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mickey Rourke was reprimanded on Celebrity Big Brother UK after using a homophobic slur toward fellow housemate JoJo Siwa.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
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The mom comes back and then reprimanded me for not supporting her baby’s head.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flay. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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