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

---

vituperate British  

/ vɪˈtjuːpəˌreɪt /

verb

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

---

Other Word Forms

• vituperator
  noun
• unvituperated
  adjective

---

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

---

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 have often thought, when I have heard the gall of bitter reproach and envenomed language hurled against your name, that they who spoke so rashly, little understood the man they vituperated.

From The Pilot by James Fenimore Cooper

He had lately set up a threshing-machine worked by horses, which was as much admired by the intelligent as it was vituperated by the ignorant.

From Chantry House by Charlotte Mary Yonge

I’ve been pretty much vituperated for some of my business deals, but I never sprung a thing like that on the public.

From Jewel Weed by Harrison Fisher

Not a field was encroached upon, not a house molested, not a person harmed or insulted, by troops that had been so harassed and vituperated by a people now entirely at their mercy.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 18, April, 1859 by Various

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

From The Romany Rye A Sequel to 'Lavengro' by John Sampson

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

From The Romany Rye by George Henry Borrow

He was in nowise comforted by the verification of his 'I told you so!' but walked to and fro from the stable, watching the remedies administered, and vituperating all youth as negligent, reckless, and hard-hearted.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol. 2 No 4, October, 1862 Devoted To Literature And National Policy by Various

The intolerable injustice of vituperating the bribed to an assembly of bribers, has goaded their sense of justice beyond endurance.

From The Letters of Charles Dickens Vol. 2, 1857-1870 by Mamie Dickens

First the guides commenced vituperating the long haired oxen that were wandering beyond the beaten path. 

From Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China During the years 1844-5-6 Volume 2 by Évariste Régis Huc

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---