rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast

censure severely or angrily; "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup"; "check" is archaic

• chastise, castigate, objurgate, chasten, correct — censure severely
• tell off, brush down — reprimand

• criticize, criticise, pick apart — find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws