Spoke angrily to someone for doing something wrong; criticized harshly.
From Old Norse 'skald' (poet or satirist), then to Old French and English in the 1300s. The original meaning was to insult mockingly before becoming general criticism.
Interestingly, scolding is most effective when it's unexpected—people who are usually kind but occasionally scold actually change behavior better than those who scold constantly.
Scolding has been gendered feminine in English, with 'scold' historically applied to women's speech as a form of social control. The term carried moral judgment about women's right to speak or correct others.
Use 'scolded' for any person or situation without assuming gender. Avoid pairing with feminine pronouns as default.
["criticized (neutral)","reprimanded (neutral)","corrected (neutral)"]
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