Word of the Day

: February 12, 2024

inveigh

verb in-VAY

What It Means

Inveigh is a formal word that means "to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently." Like its synonym rail, it's typically used with against.

// Students inveighed against the new dress code policy.

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inveigh in Context

"While I've inveighed here about categorical statements against chocolate and wine, I will repeat my favorite maxim that 'bubbles go with everything.' Champagne … is fantastic with chocolate-covered strawberries (in which the berries are the star)." — Dave McIntyre, The Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2023

Did You Know?

It's all well and good to complain, kvetch, gripe, or grumble about whatever happens to be vexing you, but for a stronger effect, we suggest inveighing against it. (You'll almost always want to include the against, by the way.) Inveigh was borrowed with its meaning from the Latin verb invehi (invehi can also mean "to attack"), which is also a form of invehere, meaning "to carry in." Another invehere descendant is the closely-related noun invective, which refers to insulting or abusive language. Nota bene: it's not necessary to hurl invective when inveighing against what irks you.