scathing

adjective

scath·​ing ˈskā-ṯẖiŋ 

: bitterly severe

a scathing condemnation

scathingly adverb

Synonyms of scathing

• satiric
• sarcastic
• barbed
• acidic

Choose the Right Synonym for scathing

caustic, mordant, acrid, scathing mean stingingly incisive.

caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Examples of scathing in a Sentence

a scathing review of the book

a scathing rebuttal of the latest theory concerning the assassination

Recent Examples on the Web

In a scathing letter to the Fulton County Commission, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens blasted the county’s plan to spend more than a billion dollars on jail renovations instead of supporting his decades-long tax extension proposal. — Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 31 July 2026

Wilson, whose translation of the classic Greek tale was cited by the Oscar-winning director, criticized Christopher Nolan's adaptation in a scathing essay. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 July 2026

But when the court was closely split in major cases, Kennedy was likely to be in majority while Scalia wrote scathing and increasingly personal dissents. — Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026

The Jewish Institute for National Security of America, one of the most vocal boosters of the war at its outset, was scathing in its assessment of the first point. — Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scathing

• bathing
• lathing
• sunbathing

Kids Definition

scathing

adjective

scath·​ing

ˈskā-t͟hiŋ

: painfully harsh

a scathing look

scathingly

-t͟hiŋ-lē

adverb