excoriate
/eks'kɔ:rieit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To denounce or criticize severely: To express strong disapproval of someone or something, often in harsh terms.
- To damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin): To strip, wear, or scrape off the skin, making it sore; to abrade.
Examples
- Verb (Criticize):
- The film critic excoriated the director's latest movie for its poor plot.
- The senator excoriated her colleagues for their lack of action on the bill.
- Verb (Abrade Skin):
- The rough fabric of the new backpack excoriated the skin on his shoulders.
- The chemical burn excoriated the patient's forearm.
Advanced Usage
- Formal/Journalistic Context: Often used in formal writing, political commentary, or severe reviews to indicate a thorough and harsh critique.
- The investigative report excoriated the company's environmental practices.
- Medical/Literal Context: Used in medical or descriptive writing to describe physical abrasion.
- The lesion was excoriated due to constant scratching.
Variants and Related Words
- Excoriation (noun):
- The act or an instance of excoriating, either through harsh criticism or physical abrasion.
- His speech was an excoriation of the government's policy.
- The excoriation on her knee was caused by the fall.
Synonyms
- Criticize Severely: censure, condemn, denounce, lambaste, castigate, berate.
- Abrade Skin: chafe, scrape, graze, abrade, gall.
Antonyms
- Criticize Severely: praise, commend, applaud, approve.
- Abrade Skin: heal, soothe, protect.
Related Phrases
- To excoriate someone for something: A common collocation specifying the reason for the criticism.
- The coach excoriated the team for their lack of effort.
- To be excoriated by: A passive construction indicating the source of the criticism.
- The proposal was excoriated by industry experts.
Verb
- tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading
- This leash chafes the dog's neck
- express strong disapproval of
- We condemn the racism in South Africa
- These ideas were reprobated