as in to blame
to subject (someone) to harsh public criticism
The press pilloried the judge for her decision.
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Recent Examples of pillory
Here’s exactly how to do it By Ashley Baker
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Very Online
Trophy Wives Desperate, real, trad, or mad—housewives have been celebrated, pilloried, and fetishized for ages.
—
Michael Odell, Air Mail, 10 Apr. 2025
She has been pilloried for doing an episode of her first television show, The Sarah Silverman Program, in blackface, and protested by Asian American groups for her use of the aforementioned slur on Conan.
—Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2025
The first teaser trailer was pilloried online by fans of the game, who were fiercely protective of the property.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Markle’s series has been renewed for a second season by Netflix despite being pilloried by television critics.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pillory
Michael Odell, Air Mail, 10 Apr. 2025
She has been pilloried for doing an episode of her first television show, The Sarah Silverman Program, in blackface, and protested by Asian American groups for her use of the aforementioned slur on Conan.
—Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2025
The first teaser trailer was pilloried online by fans of the game, who were fiercely protective of the property.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Markle’s series has been renewed for a second season by Netflix despite being pilloried by television critics.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pillory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillory
Verb
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Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Trump doubled down on his past criticism and blamed Biden for Powell remaining in the role.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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While most of us could only dream of being so effortlessly chic, Parisians have it down pat—so who could blame us for wanting to borrow some of their go-to French fashion styles?—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Many airlines have long relied on aging computer systems, and the aviation industry has been criticized for failing to modernize swiftly.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
22 July 2025
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McKinney ruffled some feathers by publicly criticizing former Giants’ defensive coordinator Wink Martindale in his final season with the Giants.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Whether this comes off as a joke or as an invitation for scolding (spoken or unspoken, loving or otherwise) depends entirely on the other Muslims in the room.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
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But there was a time Emily Deschanel, who played the meticulous forensic anthropologist through 12 seasons of Bones, got scolded for being just that — and the memory still makes the star emotional.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The Trump administration accused them of belonging to the Tren de Aragua street gang in a case condemned by rights groups.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
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Huckabee, an evangelical Christian who is normally strongly supportive of Israel, harshly condemned the attack.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pillory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillory. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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