invective

1 of 2

noun

in·​vec·​tive in-ˈvek-tiv 

1

: insulting or abusive language : vituperation

2

: an abusive expression or speech

invective

2 of 2

adjective

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

invectively adverb

invectiveness noun

Did you know?

Invective originated in the 15th century as an adjective meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse," but by the early 16th century, it was functioning as a noun referring to a harsh verbal attack, and within a few decades, to abusive language as a whole. Invective is similar to verbal abuse, but in addition to being a more formal term than abuse, invective tends to suggest not only anger and vehemence but also rhetorical skill. It sometimes also implies public denunciation, as in "blistering political invective."

Synonyms

Noun

• abuse
• vituperation
• insult
• criticism
• vitriol
• scurrility
• fulmination

Adjective

• abusive
• insulting
• outrageous
• vituperative
• vitriolic

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

scathing verbal abuse

vituperation implies fluent and sustained abuse.

a torrent of vituperation

invective implies a comparable vehemence but suggests greater verbal and rhetorical skill and may apply to a public denunciation.

blistering political invective

obloquy suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace.

subjected to obloquy and derision

billingsgate implies practiced fluency and variety of profane or obscene abuse.

directed a stream of billingsgate at the cabdriver

Examples of invective in a Sentence

Noun

a barrage of racist invective

hurled curses and invective at the driver who heedlessly cut them off in traffic

Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Douglas McCarthy, the vocalist who hectored anarchic invective with EBM innovators Nitzer Ebb and who joined Depeche Mode keyboardist Alan Wilder’s Recoil side project, died Wednesday at the age of 58. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025

His tommy-gun dialogue, much of it laced with withering invective and punctuated with profanity, started a shift in the language of both theater and movies in this country. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Between the time the former Marine Soto was indicted in 2018 and sentenced in 2020, then-President Donald Trump offered up vitriolic invective to Mexican officials. —Sean Campbell, The Conversation, 23 May 2025

Decades later, almost identical invective pours from the mouth of Scott Rudin, infuriated after a manuscript goes to a competitor. —Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Noun

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for invective

• advective
• affective
• collective
• connective
• convective
• corrective
• defective
• detective
• directive
• effective
• elective
• infective

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Kids Definition

invective

noun

in·​vec·​tive

in-ˈvek-tiv

: harsh or insulting words