upbraid
/ˌʌpˈbɹeɪd/verb
upbraid is spelled U-P-B-R-A-I-D: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 35 million words in written English, the 182,517th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, upbraid means “To criticize severely” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in upbraid?
| Letters | 7: U-P-B-R-A-I-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 35 million words; the 182,517th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is upbraid?
Upbraid appears about once in every 35 million words in written English, the 182,517th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce upbraid?
- /ˌʌpˈbɹeɪd/
Upbraid has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-upbraid.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of upbraid
- upbraids present, singular, he/she/it
- upbraiding participle, present
- upbraided participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does upbraid mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To criticize severely.
- 2
archaicTo charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach
- 3
obsoleteTo treat with contempt.
- 4
obsoleteTo object or urge as a matter of reproach
- 5
archaicTo utter upbraidings.
- 6
UKarchaicTo vomit; retch.
noun
- 1
obsoleteThe act of reproaching; scorn; disdain.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Upbraid in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does upbraid come from?
From Middle English upbreiden, from Old English upbreġdan, equivalent to up- + braid. Compare English umbraid (“to upbraid”), Icelandic bregða (“to draw, brandish, braid, deviate from, change, break off, upbraid”). See up, and braid (transitive).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).