Scathing
adjective
Being very critical or cruel.
She gave a scathing review of the book.
Often appears as...
- scathing criticism
- scathing attack
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Being very critical or cruel.
She gave a scathing review of the book.
Often appears as...
- scathing criticism
- scathing attack
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Tone
Indicates a very negative response, often stronger than just criticism or disapproval.
His resignation followed scathing remarks about the company's leadership.
Pro Tip 2/3Intensity Emphasized
Used for emphasizing the severe intensity of the critique or comment.
The lecturer's scathing comments left the student with no doubts about her stance.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
The criticized party might feel emotionally affected due to the cruel nature of the comments.
His scathing rejection of the proposal visibly upset the project team.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Tone
Indicates a very negative response, often stronger than just criticism or disapproval.
His resignation followed scathing remarks about the company's leadership.
Pro Tip 2/3Intensity Emphasized
Used for emphasizing the severe intensity of the critique or comment.
The lecturer's scathing comments left the student with no doubts about her stance.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
The criticized party might feel emotionally affected due to the cruel nature of the comments.
His scathing rejection of the proposal visibly upset the project team.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Tone
Indicates a very negative response, often stronger than just criticism or disapproval.
His resignation followed scathing remarks about the company's leadership.
Pro Tip 2/3Intensity Emphasized
Used for emphasizing the severe intensity of the critique or comment.
The lecturer's scathing comments left the student with no doubts about her stance.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
The criticized party might feel emotionally affected due to the cruel nature of the comments.
His scathing rejection of the proposal visibly upset the project team.
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Video examples
What “Machiavellian”...
When the Medici family seized power, he not only lost his position, but was even tortured and banished. With this in mind, it’s possible to read the pamphlet he wrote from exile not as a defense of princely rule, but a scathing description of how it operates.
Video examples
Why the universe seems...
is positively scathing about our preoccupation with matter itself. We have this tendency to think that only solid, material things are really things at all. Waves of electromagnetic fluctuation in a vacuum seem unreal.
Video examples
What “Machiavellian”...
When the Medici family seized power, he not only lost his position, but was even tortured and banished. With this in mind, it’s possible to read the pamphlet he wrote from exile not as a defense of princely rule, but a scathing description of how it operates.
Video examples
Why the universe seems...
is positively scathing about our preoccupation with matter itself. We have this tendency to think that only solid, material things are really things at all. Waves of electromagnetic fluctuation in a vacuum seem unreal.
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Josh Gad
American Actor
Melissa McCarthy just opened this new movie, 'Identity Thief,' and Rex Reed, who's a known critic, wrote a scathing commentary on her weight. I think that weight designation is one of the last frontiers of bullying. I don't know what the right 'ism' for it is, but I think that there's a level of that that's happening that's certainly not okay.
Quote examples
Linda Colley
British Historian
In the past, Britons were scathing about the cruelties of the old Roman empire and the excesses of Catholic empire builders such as the Spanish and the French. They convinced themselves that their empire was different and benign because it rested on sea power and trade rather than on armies.
Quote examples
Bjorn Lomborg
Danish Scientist
A review was published in Nature, very scathing, essentially calling me incompetent, though they didn't use that word. I am putting a reply on my Web site in a few days, where I go through their arguments, paragraph by paragraph.
Quote examples
Tina Fey
American Comedian
I was the editor of the school newspaper and in drama club and choir, so I was not a popular girl in the traditional sense, but I think I was known for being relatively scathing.
Quote examples
Urban Meyer
American Coach
When a guy would write some scathing article about me, that used to really bother me. I didn't get it. I'm like, What is that? You don't know me... That ate me up.
Quote examples
Ted Dwane
British Musician
It's strange to think about the scathing reviews 'Sigh No More' got and then consider that we could win best album a year or so later.
Quote examples
Helen Mirren
British Actress
I prefer the finesse of French humour. English humour is more scathing, more cruel, as illustrated by Monty Python and Little Britain.
Quote examples
Patrick Stump
American Musician
I write really scathing, angry stuff when I'm in a better mood, and then uplifting and happy stuff when I'm at the absolute bottom.
Quote examples
Astro Teller
English Scientist
Really great entrepreneurs have this very special mix of unstoppable optimism and scathing paranoia.
Quote examples
Robert Dallek
American Historian
Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.
Quote examples
Josh Gad
American Actor
Melissa McCarthy just opened this new movie, 'Identity Thief,' and Rex Reed, who's a known critic, wrote a scathing commentary on her weight. I think that weight designation is one of the last frontiers of bullying. I don't know what the right 'ism' for it is, but I think that there's a level of that that's happening that's certainly not okay.
Quote examples
Linda Colley
British Historian
In the past, Britons were scathing about the cruelties of the old Roman empire and the excesses of Catholic empire builders such as the Spanish and the French. They convinced themselves that their empire was different and benign because it rested on sea power and trade rather than on armies.
Quote examples
Bjorn Lomborg
Danish Scientist
A review was published in Nature, very scathing, essentially calling me incompetent, though they didn't use that word. I am putting a reply on my Web site in a few days, where I go through their arguments, paragraph by paragraph.
Quote examples
Tina Fey
American Comedian
I was the editor of the school newspaper and in drama club and choir, so I was not a popular girl in the traditional sense, but I think I was known for being relatively scathing.
Quote examples
Urban Meyer
American Coach
When a guy would write some scathing article about me, that used to really bother me. I didn't get it. I'm like, What is that? You don't know me... That ate me up.
Quote examples
Ted Dwane
British Musician
It's strange to think about the scathing reviews 'Sigh No More' got and then consider that we could win best album a year or so later.
Quote examples
Helen Mirren
British Actress
I prefer the finesse of French humour. English humour is more scathing, more cruel, as illustrated by Monty Python and Little Britain.
Quote examples
Patrick Stump
American Musician
I write really scathing, angry stuff when I'm in a better mood, and then uplifting and happy stuff when I'm at the absolute bottom.
Quote examples
Astro Teller
English Scientist
Really great entrepreneurs have this very special mix of unstoppable optimism and scathing paranoia.
Quote examples
Robert Dallek
American Historian
Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.
Example 1 of 10
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