1
as in abuse
harsh insulting language
unable to mount a rational defense of her position, she unleashed a torrent of obloquy on her opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shame
the state of having lost the esteem of others
although he had beaten the murder rap, the accused murderer was condemned to live out his days in perpetual obloquy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obloquy
Future problems Paxton’s ability to brush aside opprobrium and obloquy in Texas politics is nearly unrivaled.
—
Lauren McGaughy, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2023
That’s a shame, because the airline’s 11 outside directors are arguably the guiltiest of the guilty parties in the company’s recent fiasco, the most deserving of obloquy.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2023
It’s the guy in front of the bench, though, who’s taking the brunt of the obloquy for the way that whole mess ended.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 July 2021
This kind of bitter obloquy can be found in the editorial pages of many global publications.
—Annabelle Timsit, Quartz, 29 Apr. 2021
The only freedom and independence are in learning to be equally indifferent to both praise and obloquy.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 27 Aug. 2019
Years later, Adams wrote that his decision ‘procured me anxiety, and obloquy ….
—James Hohmann, Washington Post, 8 June 2018
The cross-dressing women were not often the target of obloquy or mockery.
—Longreads, 8 May 2018
Lauren McGaughy, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2023
That’s a shame, because the airline’s 11 outside directors are arguably the guiltiest of the guilty parties in the company’s recent fiasco, the most deserving of obloquy.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2023
It’s the guy in front of the bench, though, who’s taking the brunt of the obloquy for the way that whole mess ended.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 July 2021
This kind of bitter obloquy can be found in the editorial pages of many global publications.
—Annabelle Timsit, Quartz, 29 Apr. 2021
The only freedom and independence are in learning to be equally indifferent to both praise and obloquy.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 27 Aug. 2019
Years later, Adams wrote that his decision ‘procured me anxiety, and obloquy ….
—James Hohmann, Washington Post, 8 June 2018
The cross-dressing women were not often the target of obloquy or mockery.
—Longreads, 8 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obloquy
Noun
-
However, prosecutors argued that there was no evidence of abuse and that the murder was a premeditated effort to keep Doug from seeing their child.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Leaders covered up abuse The new report also addressed the issue of IHOPKC staffers and leaders who covered up the abuse.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And on the top right are the inhibitory emotions — emotions like anxiety, shame and guilt; their job is to push down our core emotions, which are at the bottom of the triangle.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Being intimate with Olivia helped my shame dissipate.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
During the speech, however, Kemp periodically deviated from building up Astra to hurling insults at several of his competitors in the launch industry.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
-
And as if a constant stream of social media vitriol wasn’t enough of an insult to the venerable lawns, they are subjected to constant meteorological insults as well.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The ladies move closer to God through acts of disobedience, debauchery, and disgrace; by visiting seedy places and commingling with the disreputable.—
Nicole Flattery,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Ireland didn’t disgrace themselves, but using four bowlers in the first four overs said everything about where their problems were in the first-ever T20 game hosted against their nearest neighbor.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Oct. 2024
-
The politicization of the COVID response has only worsened this trend, likely resulting in part from Trump’s vituperation.—
Matt Motta,
Scientific American,
29 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Pashinyan had led the movement to oust Moscow’s influence in Armenia; he was now saddled with the odium of losing Karabakh on his watch.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes,
9 Oct. 2024
-
By making such statements with actual malice to the public and also through social media, each of the defendants knew or should have known that their comments would be widely disseminated, exposing Judge Moore to disgrace, ridicule, odium and contempt resulting in compensatory and punitive damages.—
Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com,
al,
29 Nov. 2022
Noun
-
In an amusing touch for viewers who can recognize Baker and know his craft, his character is a grump who has nothing but criticism for the Halloween décor.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Lexington officials faced criticism after the April home explosion, as community members claimed the boy’s death could have been avoided if proper alerts were in place.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Trump’s contempt for legal norms and Guantánamo’s legacy of ambiguous legality are thus a fitting match, however disturbing that compatibility may be.—
Miriam Pensack,
The Dial,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Franklin and Valley have appealed that contempt of court ruling to the Arkansas Supreme Court.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obloquy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obloquy. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share