as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language
a scurrilous satire on the scandal that enveloped Washington
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Recent Examples of scurrilous
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
One upshot was Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which to this day insulates social media from legal liability for the content — however incendiary or scurrilous — that users post.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
Facts won’t deter Republicans on this point, however, for the same reason that Trump and his running mate, J. D. Vance, keep repeating their scurrilous lies about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of Ohio: white anxiety about a diversifying country has become one of the Party’s greatest assets.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2024
Lee is obsessed with this for a reason that’s scurrilous but also kind of tragic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for scurrilous
Matthew Karp, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
One upshot was Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which to this day insulates social media from legal liability for the content — however incendiary or scurrilous — that users post.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
Facts won’t deter Republicans on this point, however, for the same reason that Trump and his running mate, J. D. Vance, keep repeating their scurrilous lies about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of Ohio: white anxiety about a diversifying country has become one of the Party’s greatest assets.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2024
Lee is obsessed with this for a reason that’s scurrilous but also kind of tragic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for scurrilous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scurrilous
Adjective
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The fourth episode depicts him as a negligent and emotionally abusive lover to Satan, further connecting him to the show’s previous portrayals of Saddam Hussein.—
Nick Marx,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
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This all in spite of Johanne’s best efforts to present Johanna in the most radiant of lights, a fact Johanna deems as abusive more than flattering.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The lack of answers and accountability is outrageous, said Adjua Broadbelt, her niece.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
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The publication calls it a white-knuckle favorite standing more than 200 feet high and featuring outrageous maneuvers.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Using those who serve in uniform as political props is insulting.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Sep. 2025
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The whole thing feels redundant and borderline insulting.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Clothing must not feature offensive language, obscene gestures/graphics, or nudity or clothing that does not sufficiently cover undergarments.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The store supplied her with bondage pants, kilts, and T-shirts printed with obscene illustrations.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In the years intervening, the poem has remained a lodestar, a contravening presence when, in present day America’s vituperative political landscape, the humanities disciplines and higher education itself has been forced to invoke and defend its own authority.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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Even the company’s most vituperative detractors acknowledge its engineering genius and applaud its success in driving down launch expenses (unlike many defense contractors, SpaceX largely eats the cost of its failures).—
Franklin Foer,
The Atlantic,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scurrilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scurrilous. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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