invective
1 of 2noun
invective
2 of 2adjective
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Invective originated in the 15th century as an adjective meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse," but by the early 16th century, it was functioning as a noun referring to a harsh verbal attack, and within a few decades, to abusive language as a whole. Invective is similar to verbal abuse, but in addition to being a more formal term than abuse, invective tends to suggest not only anger and vehemence but also rhetorical skill. It sometimes also implies public denunciation, as in "blistering political invective."
Synonyms
Noun
- abuse
- billingsgate
- fulmination
- obloquy
- scurrility
- vitriol
- vituperation
Adjective
- abusive
- contumelious
- opprobrious
- scurrile
- scurril
- scurrilous
- truculent
- vitriolic
- vituperative
- vituperatory
Example Sentences
Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2022 This crude invective, from a Russian politician once seen as milder and more pro-European than his master, Mr. Putin, indicated how harsh the confrontation between Russia and the West has become and how elusive peace may prove. New York Times, 16 June 2022 As a consequence, Gadde has been subject to intense racist and misogynistic invective on Twitter and platforms like Telegram. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2022 Such invective, however, stands in sharp contrast to the general relief seemingly felt in Buffalo, which has recently experienced an uptick in economic investment and population after years of declining fortunes. New York Times, 16 Apr. 2022 In a room rife with anti-Semitic invective, he is now pegged as an undesirable, someone not categorically White, which is news, sort of, to him. Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2022 The message was posted anonymously on YikYak, a social media network popular on college campuses, and was part of a wave of online invective that had been building around her since the early afternoon. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2022 Mention the commissioner to a player and invective invariably follows. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Apr. 2022 The defendant, Tyson Theodore Mayfield, ran up to a Black woman at a bus stop, a swastika tattoo on his abdomen showing, then launched into his racist invective. Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2022 David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022 Two Minutes Hate, with a bit of invective reserved for the mercurial Senator Kyrsten Sinema, may feel cathartic. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 23 Dec. 2021 His invective blends projection and wishful thinking. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2021 The report also said board members received threatening and invective-laden emails. Cory Shaffer, cleveland, 16 Nov. 2021 Daldry achieves latitude by balancing invective with humor in confrontations that are always honest and leveling. Armond White, National Review, 3 Sep. 2021 The column is a strange mélange of quotes from celebrities, conservative political analysis, invective against foes real and perceived, anecdotes about the peculiarity of life in Manhattan, and aphorisms and puns. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 20 Aug. 2021 Arizona Republican Representative Andy Biggs unleashed a torrent of invective and false claims against Democrats, never-Trump Republicans and the news media and called for the president’s supporters to protest and take every legal avenue to fight. Steven T. Dennis, Bloomberg.com, 7 Nov. 2020 On social media, anger and invective start flowing. Darryn King, Wired, 10 June 2020 See More Word History
Adjective
Middle English invectif, from Middle French, from Latin invectivus, from invectus, past participle of invehere
Noun
1523, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined above
invective 1 of 2
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- vituperation
- abuse
- insult
- scurrility
- criticism
- vitriol
- fulmination
- billingsgate
- epithet
- obloquy
- blackguardism
- curse
- polemic
- slur
- imprecation
- blasphemy
- malediction
- profanity
- expletive
- disparagement
- tirade
- vilification
- diatribe
- reprimand
- revilement
- excoriation
- swearword
- rebuke
- belittlement
- castigation
- aspersion
- reproof
- opprobrium
- harangue
- chastisement
- execration
- put-down
- bad-mouthing
- broadside
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- praise
- applause
- acclaim
- compliments
- commendation
- endearments
- flattery
- felicitations
- adulation
- congratulations
- blarney
- overpraise
- soft soap
invective
2 of 2adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- abusive
- vituperative
- insulting
- vitriolic
- outrageous
- scurrilous
- offensive
- obscene
- opprobrious
- outraging
- malicious
- contumelious
- truculent
- hateful
- vituperatory
- nasty
- offending
- vulgar
- scurrile
- filthy
- foulmouthed
- contemptuous
- dirty
- crude
- libelous
- slanderous
- indecent
- scurril
- scornful
- affronting
- foul
- spiteful
- coarse
- defamatory
- intemperate
- scandalous
- potty-mouthed
- gross
- disdainful
- unbridled
- malevolent
- libellous
- maligning
- vilifying
- immoderate
- unrestrained
- traducing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- moderate
- civil
- temperate
- respectful
- deferential
- courteous
- polite
- judicious
- gracious
- tempered
- laudatory
- discreet
- encomiastic
- praiseful
- mannerly
- laudative
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of invective are abuse, billingsgate, obloquy, and vituperation. While all these words mean "vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval," invective implies a comparable vehemence but suggests greater verbal and rhetorical skill and may apply to a public denunciation.
The synonyms abuse and invective are sometimes interchangeable, but abuse, the most general term, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stresses the harshness of the language.
The meanings of billingsgate and invective largely overlap; however, billingsgate implies practiced fluency and variety of profane or obscene abuse.
Although the words obloquy and invective have much in common, obloquy suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace.
While in some cases nearly identical to invective, vituperation implies fluent and sustained abuse.