C1 noun Neutral

berate

/bɪˈreɪt/

To scold or criticize someone angrily and at length, often in a harsh or loud manner. It typically occurs when someone in a position of authority expresses strong disapproval of another person's actions or failures.

Examples

3 of 5
1

The teacher had to berate the students for their lack of preparation before the final exam.

The teacher had to berate the students for their lack of preparation before the final exam.

2

The committee chose to berate the CEO for the company's declining ethical standards.

The committee chose to berate the CEO for the company's declining ethical standards.

3

Don't berate me just because I forgot to take out the trash this morning.

Don't berate me just because I forgot to take out the trash this morning.

Word Family

Noun
berating
Verb
berate
Adverb
beratingly
Adjective
berated
Related
rebuke
💡

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'irate' (meaning very angry). To berate someone, you must be irate.

Quick Quiz

The coach continued to ___ the players for their lack of focus even after they had won the game.

Correct!

The correct answer is: berate

Examples

1

The teacher had to berate the students for their lack of preparation before the final exam.

everyday

The teacher had to berate the students for their lack of preparation before the final exam.

2

The committee chose to berate the CEO for the company's declining ethical standards.

formal

The committee chose to berate the CEO for the company's declining ethical standards.

3

Don't berate me just because I forgot to take out the trash this morning.

informal

Don't berate me just because I forgot to take out the trash this morning.

4

Critics often berate the author for relying too heavily on outdated linguistic tropes.

academic

Critics often berate the author for relying too heavily on outdated linguistic tropes.

5

The manager was known to berate subordinates in front of the entire team, which lowered morale.

business

The manager was known to berate subordinates in front of the entire team, which lowered morale.

Word Family

Noun
berating
Verb
berate
Adverb
beratingly
Adjective
berated
Related
rebuke

Common Collocations

berate oneself berate oneself
harshly berate harshly berate
publicly berate publicly berate
constantly berate constantly berate
berate for hours berate for hours

Common Phrases

stop berating yourself

stop berating yourself

berate someone into submission

berate someone into submission

berated for negligence

berated for negligence

Often Confused With

berate vs prate

Prate means to talk foolishly or at tedious length about nothing, while berate is to scold harshly.

berate vs rate

Rate usually means to assign value or rank, though its archaic meaning (to scold) is actually the root of berate.

📝

Usage Notes

Berate is significantly stronger than 'scold.' It implies a sustained and intense verbal attack rather than a brief correction.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often forget that berate is a transitive verb; you must berate 'someone' or 'yourself.' It cannot be used without an object.

💡

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'irate' (meaning very angry). To berate someone, you must be irate.

📖

Word Origin

Derived from the Middle English prefix 'be-' (intensifier) and 'rate' (to scold or chide).

Grammar Patterns

verb + object (e.g., berate the employee) verb + object + for + noun/gerund (e.g., berate him for lying) past participle used as adjective (e.g., the berated staff)
🌍

Cultural Context

In many modern English-speaking workplaces, berating employees is viewed as abusive behavior or 'toxic' leadership and is increasingly penalized.

Quick Quiz

The coach continued to ___ the players for their lack of focus even after they had won the game.

Correct!

The correct answer is: berate

Related Words

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ozone

B2

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C2

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climate

B2

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immune

B2

Immune describes the state of being protected from a specific disease, typically through vaccination or prior exposure. It can also figuratively refer to being unaffected by something negative, such as criticism, or being exempt from certain duties or legal consequences.

virus

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species

B2

A species is a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. It is the basic unit of biological classification and taxonomic rank in the hierarchy of living things.

business

B2

Used as an attributive adjective to describe things related to professional commerce, trade, or work activities. It distinguishes professional matters from personal, social, or recreational ones.

contract

C1

A formal and legally binding agreement between two or more parties that establishes mutual obligations. In academic and legal contexts, it refers to the specific terms, conditions, and enforcement mechanisms that govern a transaction or relationship.

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