as in abuses
harsh insulting language
hurled curses and invective at the driver who heedlessly cut them off in traffic
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Recent Examples of invectives
At one point, the crew shot a scene in which Whalen’s character joins a bar fight, shouting invectives at a hapless extra before pummelling him to the ground.
—
Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Riley would have invented invectives.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Today’s writers use it to wildly different ends, from political invectives to plainspoken diaries to surreal dreamscapes.
—Patrick Dundon, JSTOR Daily, 9 Apr. 2026
Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Riley would have invented invectives.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Today’s writers use it to wildly different ends, from political invectives to plainspoken diaries to surreal dreamscapes.
—Patrick Dundon, JSTOR Daily, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invectives
Noun
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Multiple figures within the sport have alleged, under oath, that members of FIFA accepted bribes in exchange for giving the World Cup to Qatar, a nation that has also been accused of facilitating human rights abuses of the migrant workers who built the country’s stadiums.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
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Warner said a couple major companies threatened to stop participating in 2024 before Congress reached a deal to renew Section 702 for two years after a series of abuses by the FBI caused the program to nearly expire.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Aiyuk appears to direct two common insults at the subject of the video — almost certainly the 49ers — by using the literal, nonprofane meanings of the terms rather than saying the vulgar words themselves.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
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The hail of insults pouring from the Cubs dugout grew louder and nastier.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Noun
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This is the latest rant in a string of fulminations against the ABC late-night host over the past few days since Kimmel mocked the relationship between the first lady and POTUS late last week.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Asked about those criticisms Wednesday, Raman defended her record and argued the city needs a different approach.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
11 June 2026
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Pressure has only continued to mount as guests flood into Mexico City, and the government has faced a crescendo of criticisms by protesters and residents who say authorities have prioritized the competition over pressing social needs in the Latin American nation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Rather than a nod of respect, Spurs fans—myself now sheepishly included—are finding their favorite tees and caps drawing chirps, sneers, and curses.—
Joan Kennedy,
Vogue,
10 June 2026
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Chants laced with curses echo through Madison Square Garden.—
Albert Samaha,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invectives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invectives. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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