excoriate
What does "excoriate" mean?
To excoriate is to criticize someone or something very severely, often with a biting or harsh tone. The word stems from the literal medical sense of "to strip off skin," so the mental image is of someone being metaphorically flayed or stripped bare by sharp, stinging words. It is a formal, high-register term usually found in journalism, academic critiques, or intense political commentary. You would use it when you want to emphasize that a critique is not just negative, but scathing and deeply destructive to the subject's reputation or argument.
"excoriate" in conversation
Discussing a movie review
Did you see the review for the new blockbuster?
Did you see the review for the new blockbuster?
Yeah, the critic absolutely excoriated the director for the weak script.
Yeah, the critic absolutely excoriated the director for the weak script.
Used to describe a harsh professional critique.
Political commentary
The senator's speech was quite intense today.
The senator's speech was quite intense today.
He excoriated his opponents for their lack of transparency.
He excoriated his opponents for their lack of transparency.
Common in political contexts to describe aggressive verbal attacks.
"excoriate" in a sentence
The editorial excoriated the company for its poor environmental record.
The editorial excoriated the company for its poor environmental record.
She was excoriated by the board of directors for failing to meet the quarterly projections.
She was excoriated by the board of directors for failing to meet the quarterly projections.
The historian excoriated the regime for its systemic suppression of dissenting voices during the decade of civil unrest.
The historian excoriated the regime for its systemic suppression of dissenting voices during the decade of civil unrest.
