SCATHING Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'scathing' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scathing are acrid , caustic , and mordant . While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity. // a scathing satire

Q: When might 'acrid' be a better fit than 'scathing'?

The synonyms acrid and scathing are sometimes interchangeable, but acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence. // acrid invective

Q: When is it sensible to use 'caustic' instead of 'scathing'?

In some situations, the words caustic and scathing are roughly equivalent. However, caustic suggests a biting wit. // caustic comments

Q: Where would 'mordant' be a reasonable alternative to 'scathing'?

The words mordant and scathing are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness. // mordant reviews of the play

scathing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈskā-ṯẖiŋ

Definition of scathing

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

scathing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of scathe

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective scathing contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scathing are acrid, caustic, and mordant. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

When might acrid be a better fit than scathing?

The synonyms acrid and scathing are sometimes interchangeable, but acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

When is it sensible to use caustic instead of scathing?

In some situations, the words caustic and scathing are roughly equivalent. However, caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

Where would mordant be a reasonable alternative to scathing?

The words mordant and scathing are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of scathing

Adjective

Beginning in late 2025, Alfsonso’s had been the subject of three scathing AHCA inspections. — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026 In 2024, Kushner gave a talk at Harvard and offered scathing assessments of some notable diplomatic accomplishments from previous Administrations. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Verb

Outsider art in every sense of the word, and laden with scathing political and social commentary, Purifoy’s installations morph and change in the elements. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026 With tight polls, and without any one candidate being able to boast about the president's endorsement, the three Republicans have tried to boost their candidacies by resorting to scathing personal attacks. — Emily Chang, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scathing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scathing

Adjective

However, the film faced rejection from film festivals like Sundance and SXSW, and struggled to secure traditional studio distribution because of its controversial, pitch-black satirical premise about school shootings and social media.

— Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
In 1982, the actress was cast as one of the leads on the satirical comedy Filthy Rich.

— Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of satiric

Verb

Murtis of the goddess Durga depict her astride a lion and attacking Mahishasura.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
The president appeared to be attacking Andrews, a biological woman, over her alleged support of gender transitions for minors and transgender athletes in women’s sports.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacking

Adjective

Fresh Air critic John Powers describes it as a unique blend of creepiness, sarcastic humor and political anger, unlike anything else on TV.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
This hampers several of my favorite performances, especially Harper, whose Ben is full of sarcastic indignation, and June Laporte as Ginny, an aspiring reporter in need of proper mentoring.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of sarcastic

Verb

Donalds’ speech ran the gamut of Republican campaign points, from slamming COVID lockdowns to border crossings.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
On the same day, HHS senior adviser Calley Means doubled down on the claim, posting on X that Kennedy is doing so well that Democratic operatives are slamming the FDA for doing its job by conducting food recalls.

— Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of slamming

Adjective

The state oversees different types of facilities for kids in the justice system, ranging in security level from group homes to prisons surrounded by barbed wire.

— Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 25 Sep. 2026
Which is to say, this is more a barbed comedy of manners than a proper, elegant period piece.

— Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of barbed

Verb

The Amazon Prime Video broadcasters all considered the male Fever fan guilty before details of what actually happened came out, scolding him on air for his behavior.

— Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Eventually, all charges were dropped days before trial, with Perry scolding prosecutors for violating the inherent trust placed in the office.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of scolding

Adjective

The Bongulo Paneer — cooked in bamboo — with a coconut and capsicum poriyal blends peanut chutney with acidic gongura sour cream and fiery gunpowder.

— Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Other novelists have turned to acidic, class-conscious portraits of the underemployed—see Andrew Martin and Halle Butler.

— Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of acidic

Verb

Several readers have spoken of appreciation for the columns of mine that intersected sports and society, such as excoriating the NFL for its blackballing of Colin Kaepernick.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Martin Sherman’s play Bent (1979), an excoriating account of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals that is also a story of love between two men in the most terrible circumstances, belongs to this select category.

— Simon Callow, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of excoriating

Browse Nearby Words

scathes

scathing

scatological

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Scathing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scathing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of scathing

adjective

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes