as in satiric
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
a scathing rebuttal of the latest theory concerning the assassination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in attacking
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
newspaper cartoonists scathed the lecherous governor with a series of cruel caricatures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scathing
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
This week, Giannis Antetokounmpo made scathing comments about his team, then self-diagnosed an injury and provided a timetable for his return before undergoing an MRI.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Isabelle Friedman, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Much has been written about the changes, often in scathing online reviews.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scathing
Adjective
The reality series quickly became a staple of aughties pop culture with its high-stakes drama, scathing commentary and intense makeovers.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
This week, Giannis Antetokounmpo made scathing comments about his team, then self-diagnosed an injury and provided a timetable for his return before undergoing an MRI.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
From in-depth local news pieces that got to the heart of our communities’ needs to scathing investigative works holding public officials accountable, the Boston Herald’s coverage sought to encapsulate the most important stories for our readership each and every day.
—Isabelle Friedman, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Much has been written about the changes, often in scathing online reviews.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scathing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scathing
Adjective
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The only thing that may be crazier than the actual football life is this satirical comedy-drama that has more to do with a hedonistic existence than play-action passes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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But it’s set apart from the rest of her work by a long, satirical section sending up gothic fiction and its fans.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The strategy marks a shift toward attacking cartels’ financial systems as law enforcement pressure mounts on traditional drug routes.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Dan Ndoye is capable of playing in a central attacking role and Morgan Gibbs-White has looked handy playing in a more advanced role.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Tom Lester played Eb Dawson, the Douglases' sarcastic young farmhand.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
25 Jan. 2026
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The worse things are going, the more bitter and sarcastic my humor sometimes gets.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The xAI-SpaceX merger is still fresh, AI fears have been slamming software stocks, and Moltbook—a social network for personal AI agents—blew up the Internet.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
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Heathcliff acts like a whiny little baby throughout this film, constantly throwing tantrums, running away, and slamming doors.—
Cazzie David,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These corporations are enabling violence on the streets and death behind barbed wire.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
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Reams of barbed wire gathered from the fields around Penpont were fashioned into a mesh curtain whose ends wrapped around two columns at the top of the museum’s grand staircase; the result was both alluring and forbidding.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Crucially, the film avoids the trap of scolding younger generations or romanticizing the past.—
Beandrea July,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
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Sanders, by now a perennial candidate, perfected his craggy, scolding, mitten-waving style.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Aluminum foil is heat resistant and can be used to line pans or cover dishes, but isn't nonstick, and may not be safe for acidic food applications.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
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The acidic content in vinegar breaks down mineral deposits, hard water stains, and buildup and neutralizes odors.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya raised these points when excoriating siblings studies on social media in September.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
16 Jan. 2026
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The beat resumed, the volume its usual excoriating self, Shields’ guitar reprogrammed to give a hint of body-moving swing.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scathing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scathing. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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