vituperate

American  

[vahy-too-puh-rayt, -tyoo-, vi-] / vaɪˈtu pəˌreɪt, -ˈtju-, vɪ- /

verb (used with object)

vituperated, vituperating

1. to address with harsh or abusive language; revile.

   Synonyms:

   berate, vilify, censure

   Antonyms:

   commend, praise

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vituperate British  

/ vɪˈtjuːpəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to berate or rail (against) abusively; revile

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Other Word Forms

• vituperator
  noun
• unvituperated
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of vituperate

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin vituperātus (past participle of vituperāre “to spoil, blame”), equivalent to vituperā(re) ( vitu-, variant stem of vitium “defect, blemish, vice” + -perāre, combining form of parāre “to furnish, provide”; see prepare) + -tus past participle suffix; see -ate ¹

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Explanation

To vituperate is to speak or write in an extremely negative way about someone. Just as vituperation consists of negative, explosive, malicious outbursts, to vituperate is to communicate in this way. Negative political ads vituperate against opponents. When you insult someone and swear at them, you vituperate. People with a short temper tend to vituperate often — it's similar to railing, vilifying, and reviling. The root word is the Latin vituperationem, "blame or censuring," from vitium, "fault or defect."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vituperate vituperated vituperating

Mr. Youngkin’s comment about Mr. Vance more or less obliges him not to vituperate the vice president in the usual way of presidential primaries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

They vituperate even though what she and Sanders have said is, well, true.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 20, 2017

Over the next dozen years, he would vituperate again and again against Roosevelt's seemingly mystical ability to direct the national conversation.

From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2011

And may I add a word of deep appreciation for the highly intelligent letter of Mr. Frank Vincent Waddy, on the subject of our vituperate critic, Cyril D. H. G. Dillington-Dowse.

From Time Magazine Archive

And it is in this respect that he differs so much from most of the writers of to-day, who give themselves up completely to their attractive heroes and vituperate their odious people.

From Contemporary Russian Novelists by Serge Persky

Nonetheless his St. Denis working class constituents have twice more re-elected him although he was opposed and vituperated by Communist candidates.

From Time Magazine Archive

I was taken from my nurse’s in a hurry, and, though my clothes were quite new, my face entitled me to rank among the much vituperated unwashed.

From Rattlin the Reefer by Frederick Marryat

At intervals, the captain and anchor of the cadets uttered exclamations of encouragement to his team, or vituperated at the other.

From Witch Winnie's Mystery, or The Old Oak Cabinet The Story of a King's Daughter by Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Williams) Champney

But all the other real and systematic cynicisms of our journalism pass without being vituperated and even without being known—the financial motives of policy, the misleading posters, the suppression of just letters of complaint.

From All Things Considered by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton

Accordingly Mosaïde, brandishing his stiletto, squalled out his hoarse sounds mingled with sharp yelpings in such a manner that I felt insulted, as well as vituperated, in a chant or song.

From The Queen Pedauque by Jos. A. V. Stritzko

The proposal duly took place in a bunker, while Eileen was whimsically vituperating her ball.

From The Grey Wig: Stories and Novelettes by Israel Zangwill

In the meantime the infant whom he was holding all the time in his arms very tenderly whilst he was vituperating, shut its eyes languidly; a sign of repletion.

From The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo

Now, this class of individuals entertain a mortal hatred for p. 355Lavengro and its writer, and never lose an opportunity of vituperating both. 

From The Romany Rye a sequel to "Lavengro" by Theodore Watts-Dunton

Bolton was rubbing his bruises and abrasions, and vituperating everything, from the conduct of the war to the steepness of Kentucky mountains.

From The Red Acorn by John McElroy

Mother.—"Now do be rational, why don't you listen to what I say, instead of vituperating in this manner?"

From Yr Ynys Unyg The Lonely Island by Julia de Winton

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