1. severely criticized or punished
Usage: informal
2. dragged under the keel of a ship as punishment
Usage: nautical; historical

Examples

• The manager keelhauled the employee for missing the important deadline.
• After the scandal broke, the politician was keelhauled by the media.
• The coach keelhauled the team for their poor performance in practice.
• She felt keelhauled after her presentation went so badly.
• Pirates would keelhaul crew members who disobeyed orders.
• The historical accounts describe how sailors were keelhauled for mutiny.