Chewed out

BERATED

Think of a strong verbal scolding, often done angrily by someone in authority—it starts with "be" and rhymes with "crated."

"Chewed out" is a casual phrase meaning to scold someone harshly, which directly matches "berated." The clue plays on the double meaning of "chewed"—literally biting food, but here used figuratively to describe a verbal reprimand. It’s a straightforward definition with no hidden wordplay, relying on the everyday expression for criticism. Think of a boss angrily yelling at an employee for a mistake.