invective

adjective in·vec·tive \ in-ˈvek-tiv \

|Updated on: 26 Jul 2018

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Examples: invective in a Sentence

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Definition of invective

: of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse

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invectively

adverb

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invectiveness

noun

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Examples of invective in a Sentence

an overbearing, bullying boss who is fond of sending invective e-mails to long-suffering assistants

Recent Examples of invective from the Web

Hytner tends to stay away from the self-revealing (except for his run-in with Harold Pinter, which is so invective-strewn it can’t be reproduced here without making the paragraph look like a night sky of asterisks).

— peter lewis, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Balancing Acts' author Nicholas Hytner looks back at a successful career at London’s National Theatre," 8 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'invective.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of invective

Middle English invectif, from Middle French, from Latin invectivus, from invectus, past participle of invehere

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First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined above

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invective Synonyms

Synonyms

abusive, opprobrious, scurrilous, truculent, vitriolic, vituperative, vituperatory;

Near Antonyms

moderate, temperate;

deferential, respectful;

civil, courteous, gracious, mannerly, polite;

discreet, judicious, tempered;

laudatory, praiseful;

coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul, foulmouthed, gross, indecent, nasty, obscene, potty-mouthed, vulgar;

contemptuous, disdainful, scornful;

defamatory, libelous (or libellous), scandalous, slanderous;

maligning, traducing, vilifying;

hateful, malevolent, malicious, spiteful;

immoderate, intemperate, unbridled, unrestrained;

invective

noun

Definition of invective

1 : an abusive expression or speech

2 : insulting or abusive language : vituperation

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Examples of invective in a Sentence

a barrage of racist invective
hurled curses and invective at the driver who heedlessly cut them off in traffic

Recent Examples of invective from the Web

And in tweets available for anyone to see, the man suspected of killing five at a Maryland newspaper this week broadcast his hate with a stream of invectives.

— jessica guynn, USA TODAY, "Capital Gazette gunman constantly harassed journalists on Twitter. Why wasn't he stopped?," 29 June 2018
Private Facebook groups have devolved into furious comment threads and invective.

— tim carman, Washington Post, "Tipping the pay scales: Initiative 77 could dramatically alter D.C. restaurant culture," 16 June 2018
Fraud, cried his detractors, among them the illustrious Harvard professor Louis Agassiz, hardly a paragon of scientific rectitude, who littered his copy of the book with invectives.

— christoph irmscher, WSJ, "‘The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel’ Review: The Zoologist as Artist," 13 Apr. 2018
Roseanne Conner was quite a few steps removed from the actress who posted racist invective on her Twitter feed (behavior Barr is now apologizing for without fully admitting fault).

— david sims, The Atlantic, "What Does ABC Want From The Conners?," 27 June 2018
Across the aisle, New York Republican Rep. Peter King on Saturday expressed his disdain for National Anthem protesters, suggesting their actions were on par with spouting racial invectives or giving the Nazi salute.

— jennifer hansler, CNN, "Sen. Tammy Duckworth expresses support for protesters in wake of new NFL National Anthem policy," 26 May 2018
With a unique shimmering design, a class-leading triple-camera system, and excellent battery life, there’s not much to criticize beyond the fact that its manufacturer has borne the brunt of the US government’s anti-China invective.

— sam byford, The Verge, "The top 8 Chinese phones," 22 June 2018
Harmon's brilliantly caustic play frames serious issues of Jewish identity within a breathtaking blitzkrieg of invective guaranteed to make your eardrums smolder.

— matt cooper, latimes.com, "The week ahead in L.A. theater, May 13-20: 'Wood Boy Dog Fish,' 'Soft Power' and more," 13 May 2018
And there is no doubt that the level of invective on the left runs pretty hot.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "Country roads, take us home," 20 Apr. 2018

Did You Know?

Invective originated in the 15th century as an adjective meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse." In the early 16th century, it appeared in print as a noun meaning "an example of abusive speech." Eventually, the noun developed a second sense applying to abusive language as a whole. Invective comes to us from the Middle French word invectif, which in turn derives from Latin invectivus, meaning "reproachful, abusive." (Invectivus comes from Latin invectus, past participle of the verb invehere, one form of which means "to assail with words.") Invective is similar to abuse, but it tends to suggest not only anger and vehemence but verbal and rhetorical skill. It sometimes implies public denunciation, as in "blistering political invective."

First Known Use of invective

1523

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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invective Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of invective

abuse, vituperation, invective, obloquy, billingsgate mean vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval. abuse, the most general term, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stresses the harshness of the language.