scathing

adjective

scath·​ing ˈskā-ṯẖiŋ 

: bitterly severe

a scathing condemnation

scathingly adverb

Synonyms

• acerb
• acerbic
• acid
• acidic
• acidulous
• acrid
• barbed
• biting
• caustic
• corrosive
• cutting
• mordant
• pungent
• sarcastic
• sardonic
• satiric
• satirical
• scalding
• sharp
• smart-aleck
• smart-alecky
• smart-mouthed
• snarky
• tart

Choose the Right Synonym for scathing

caustic, mordant, acrid, scathing mean stingingly incisive.

caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Examples of scathing in a Sentence

a scathing review of the book

a scathing rebuttal of the latest theory concerning the assassination

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, out of all the players parodied during Trump’s first term in office — from Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer to McKinnon’s Kellyanne Conway — the best impersonation (and most scathing) came from Beck Bennett as Vladimir Putin. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2025

Bove, in a scathing letter Thursday, accepted Sassoon’s resignation and transferred Adams’ case to the main DOJ. —Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025

That Arsenal recently battered the reigning – waning – Premier League champions with a scathing 5-1 scoreline is a far more convincing statistic to support the above reasoning. —Julia Ranney, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025

One day before the confirmation process began, his cousin Caroline Kennedy sent a scathing letter to senators that included several allegations about his character and urged them to oppose his nomination. —Kyler Alvord, People.com, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

scathing

adjective

scath·​ing

ˈskā-t͟hiŋ

: painfully harsh

a scathing look

scathingly

-t͟hiŋ-lē

adverb