Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Likely to cause resentment or anger in others; unfairly discriminating or offensive: Describes something that is unpleasant or offensive because it is perceived as unjust, discriminatory, or likely to provoke envy or ill will.
   • Containing or implying an unfair or prejudiced distinction: Describes comparisons, remarks, or actions that are offensive because they are seen as unjustly favoring one thing or person over another.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The manager made an invidious comparison between the two employees, unfairly praising one while criticizing the other.
  • She was placed in the invidious position of having to choose which of her friends to lay off.
  • Such invidious distinctions based on wealth have no place in a modern society.

Advanced Usage

• "invidious distinction": An unfair or discriminatory difference made between people or things.

  • The law was criticized for creating an invidious distinction between citizens and permanent residents.

• "invidious choice": A difficult choice where any option is likely to cause resentment or offense.

  • The committee faced the invidious choice of cutting funding for either healthcare or education.

Variants and Related Words

• Invidiously (adverb): In a manner that is likely to cause resentment or is unfairly discriminatory.

  • The benefits were invidiously distributed among the team members.

• Invidiousness (noun): The quality of being invidious.

  • The invidiousness of the policy was evident in the public outcry.

Synonyms

• Discriminatory: Showing prejudice or unfair treatment.
• Offensive: Causing someone to feel resentful, upset, or annoyed.
• Odious: Extremely unpleasant; repulsive.
• Unjust: Not based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.

Antonyms

• Fair: Treating people equally without favoritism or discrimination.
• Just: Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.
• Equitable: Characterized by fairness or impartiality.

Related Phrases

• "invidious comparison": A comparison that is offensive because it is unfair and likely to cause resentment.

  • Drawing an invidious comparison between the two artists' early works does a disservice to both.

• "invidious task": A duty or job that is unpleasant because it involves making unfair or unpopular decisions.

  • It was an invidious task to allocate the limited resources among so many deserving projects.

Adjective

1. containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice
   • discriminatory attitudes and practices
   • invidious comparisons