vituperate
/vi'tju:pəreit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To use harsh, abusive, or condemnatory language; to berate or revile someone severely.
- To criticize or denounce someone in a bitter, scathing manner.
Usage
- The verb "vituperate" is a formal term for the act of harshly scolding or verbally abusing someone. It implies a sustained, forceful, and often public attack with words.
- It is typically used in contexts involving strong moral condemnation or intense criticism.
- Common Sentence Patterns:
[Subject] vituperates [object].[Subject] vituperates against [object].
Examples
- The critic vituperated the artist's latest work, calling it an insult to the profession.
- During the debate, the politician vituperated his opponent's character relentlessly.
- He was known to vituperate against any form of governmental oversight.
Advanced Usage
- "to vituperate against": This prepositional phrase is commonly used to specify the target of the verbal abuse.
- The preacher would often vituperate against the sins of modern society from his pulpit.
- The act of vituperating is vituperation (noun). The person who vituperates can be described as vituperative (adjective).
Variants and Related Words
- Vituperation (n): Bitter and abusive language; sustained, harsh criticism.
- The meeting dissolved into a storm of mutual vituperation.
- Vituperative (adj): Characterized by harsh, abusive language.
- She wrote a vituperative letter to the editor.
Synonyms
- Berate: To scold or criticize angrily.
- Revile: To criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.
- Lambaste: To criticize severely or angrily.
- Excoriate: To censure or criticize severely.
- Castigate: To reprimand (someone) severely.
Antonyms
- Praise: To express warm approval or admiration.
- Compliment: A polite expression of praise or admiration.
- Commend: To praise formally or officially.
- Laud: To praise highly, especially in a public context.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Hurl invective: This phrase is a close conceptual synonym, meaning to utter abusive language.
- Instead of debating the policy, he simply hurled invective at his colleagues.
Verb
- spread negative information about
- The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews