screed

noun

ˈskrēd 

1

a

: a lengthy discourse

b

: an informal piece of writing (such as a personal letter)

c

: a ranting piece of writing

2

: a strip (as of a plaster of the thickness planned for the coat) laid on as a guide

3

: a leveling device drawn over freshly poured concrete

Examples of screed in a Sentence

In her screed against the recording industry, she blamed her producer for ruining her career.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of my coworkers was telling me that one of the regional ladies was reading from a script, their first anti-union screed. —Errol Schweizer, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Kennedy’s screed against fluoridation is part and parcel of a policy package that has legitimate scientists warning of a public health catastrophe in the making. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024

Most anti-capitalist screeds are just that: screeds, nothing more. —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024

After Vance’s screed blew up, women started posting pictures or videos of themselves, sometimes with their actual cats, declaring themselves child-free and ready to vote. —Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English screde fragment, alteration of Old English scrēade — more at shred entry 1

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined at sense 1a