get on someone's case

verb

To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

“His boss was always getting on his case about his standards of dress, even though he worked well and seldom left the back room.”

Similar
harangueharass
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Meanings

verbget on someone's case (third-person singular simple present gets on someone's case, present participle getting on someone's case, simple past got on someone's case, past participle (UK) got on someone's case or (US) gotten on someone's case)

present singular third person gets on someone's case · participle present getting on someone's case · past got on someone's case · UK participle past got on someone's case · US participle past gotten on someone's case · alternative on someone's case · alternative be on someone's case · alternative on someone's back

  1. informalTo lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

    His boss was always getting on his case about his standards of dress, even though he worked well and seldom left the back room.

    Synonyms: harangue, harass

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

Similar
harangueharass
Also see
be on someone's nuts

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 挑錯 /挑错, 挑剔
  • 挑錯 /挑错 (tiāocuò)lecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • 挑剔 (tiāoti)lecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • 找岔子 (zhǎo chàzi)lecture, berate or complain to somebody
Finnish saarnata, morkata
  • saarnatalecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • morkatalecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • kitistälecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • naristalecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • marmattaalecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • valittaalecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • moittialecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • urputtaalecture, berate or complain to somebody
Spanish agarrársela con alguien, agárraselas con alguien
  • agarrársela con alguienlecture, berate or complain to somebody
  • agárraselas con alguienlecture, berate or complain to somebody
Cite this entry
APA

get on someone's case. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20on%20someone's%20case

MLA

“get on someone's case.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20on%20someone's%20case. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get on someone's case,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20on%20someone's%20case.

Source: get on someone's case on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.