SCURRILOUS Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

scurrilous

adjective

ˈskər-ə-ləs

Definition of scurrilous

as in abusive

marked by harsh insulting language a scurrilous satire on the scandal that enveloped Washington

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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 scurrilous And in return for all that scurrilous effort, not a single banning. — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026 In the Hulu version of the story, Clarke plays Alex, a middle-aged lawyer stealing money from his clients and funneling it into an opioid addiction and, the series implies, other scurrilous crimes. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025 Players known for sometimes scurrilous behavior were scared off by that lifetime ban. — John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2025 The good people of Lancaster County were innocent of the charges thrown at them by raving Southerners and scurrilous Democrats. — Matthew Karp, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scurrilous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scurrilous

Adjective

Livia’s sister-in-law invokes the poem when Livia learns, to her surprise, that her manipulative, abusive mother had been a frustrated musician.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Rating sites filled up with one-star scores, and the social media accounts of cast members drew abusive comments.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of abusive

Adjective

In their world — virtual newsrooms, Bluesky, Threads, Instagram and sports blogs — saying that men and women possess meaningful biological differences can qualify as an outrageous offense.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
More than half a century after the film’s release, the scene is back in all its outrageous glory.

— Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of outrageous

Adjective

The public must contend head-on with a collapsing currency and runaway inflation, and to ordinary Iranians, describing the present situation as sustainable would sound almost obscene.

— Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026
Current Florida law says a school district can review and remove a book after a complaint has been made that a book is pornographic, obscene or isn’t age appropriate.

— Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of obscene

Adjective

In Maine, Graham Platner — who, like Avila Chevalier, had a vituperative social media history — easily defeated the state’s governor, Janet Mills, for the Senate nomination.

— Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 June 2026
The Irish comedy writer has become better known for his assertion that trans women are men and criticism of trans activism, expressed in often vituperative social media posts.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 May 2026

Definition of vituperative

Browse Nearby Words

scurrility

scurrilous

scurrilousness

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“Scurrilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scurrilous. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of scurrilous

adjective

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