scathing
Americanadjective
-
bitterly severe, as a remark.
a scathing review of the play.
-
harmful, injurious, or searing.
adjective
-
harshly critical; scornful
a scathing remark
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damaging; painful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of scathing
Explanation
Scathing means witheringly harsh. If you enter a singing contest and the judge says that your singing is like that of a toad with laryngitis, that is scathing criticism. Scathing comes from an old Norse verb, to scathe, which means to injure by fire or lightning. Now we use it when someone’s critique is so harsh that it feels like you've been burned. If your best friend turns against you and advertises your faults to the world, and you feel like everyone is staring and talking about you, you are having a scathing experience.
Vocabulary lists containing scathing
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for October 3–9, 2020
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100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Scathing outrage on social media aimed at Lambert later ensued.
From Salon • Jul. 18, 2023
Scathing comments from Colts owner Jim Irsay didn’t cause Wentz to change.
From Washington Times • May 22, 2022
Scathing critical reviews have had little bearing on film performance these days as movies with poor Rotten Tomatoes scores have found major success at the box office.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2021
Scathing tweets and columns ensued; one article, in the online magazine Diacritik, called Slimani’s piece an expression of “class privilege.”
From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2021
I have borne for thee many bitter words, 170 Insulting slurs and sorrowful taunts, Scathing abuses, and they scorn me now In wrathful tones.
From Old English Poems Translated into the Original Meter Together with Short Selections from Old English Prose by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
