as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language
braced himself for another vitriolic dressing-down by his perennially displeased father
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Recent Examples of vitriolic
Whether ecstatic or vitriolic, the attention the book garnered was unprecedented.
—
Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
One of the most viral and vitriolic critiques came from Crissle West, co-host of the popular pop-culture podcast The Read.
—Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
But the vitriolic attacks and reemerging calls to boycott the Super Bowl come as no surprise.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
As most artists have to deal with vitriolic comments from online haters to some degree, HARDY seems to have found his best way of dealing with it.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
So, behind the bitter op-eds and vitriolic letters, what was the problem?
—Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
What was meant to be a moment of silence for Kirk on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening soon gave way to flashes of a vitriolic political divide that would escalate in the aftermath of the 31-year-old’s death.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Reaching consensus on the approach that will work best to meet the short and long-term needs of poor families means everyone must move away from absolutist positions, and discussions concerning the issue must be comprehensive, open and honest rather than accusatory and vitriolic.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
In the Facebook comments accompanying the announcement, following a scattering of positive reactions, the conversation turned vitriolic.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
One of the most viral and vitriolic critiques came from Crissle West, co-host of the popular pop-culture podcast The Read.
—Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
But the vitriolic attacks and reemerging calls to boycott the Super Bowl come as no surprise.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
As most artists have to deal with vitriolic comments from online haters to some degree, HARDY seems to have found his best way of dealing with it.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
So, behind the bitter op-eds and vitriolic letters, what was the problem?
—Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
What was meant to be a moment of silence for Kirk on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening soon gave way to flashes of a vitriolic political divide that would escalate in the aftermath of the 31-year-old’s death.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Reaching consensus on the approach that will work best to meet the short and long-term needs of poor families means everyone must move away from absolutist positions, and discussions concerning the issue must be comprehensive, open and honest rather than accusatory and vitriolic.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
In the Facebook comments accompanying the announcement, following a scattering of positive reactions, the conversation turned vitriolic.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vitriolic
Adjective
-
Or, like teenager Kashmira, to escape the sight of her abusive and absentee father’s genetics in the mirror every morning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Though they were still subjected to abusive practices, tenants usually knew their landlords and saw them often, and rents were much more stable.—
Cassie Powell,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
To educate all of them in similar ways is insulting, and silly.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Perkins said the drink bore the insulting message.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The ivory tower is losing luster by the second, after campuses around the country proved to be hotbeds of antisemitism, grade inflation has spiked rather than dissipated, and outrageous tuitions fund outlandish administrative salaries.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The premise sounds exceedingly dark, but the outrageous violence and setpieces allow for the catharsis of squirms and nervous laughter.—
William Earl,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In the years intervening, the poem has remained a lodestar, a contravening presence when, in present day America’s vituperative political landscape, the humanities disciplines and higher education itself has been forced to invoke and defend its own authority.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Even the company’s most vituperative detractors acknowledge its engineering genius and applaud its success in driving down launch expenses (unlike many defense contractors, SpaceX largely eats the cost of its failures).—
Franklin Foer,
The Atlantic,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Another cupped his hands and shouted invective.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Rory McIlroy was the lightning rod for the invective, and so was his wife.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Beside one of those blandly obscene bidets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
-
But the show avoided an FCC probe as the West Coast delay was censored, and the East Coast broadcast aired after the 6am-10pm window during which obscene content is prohibited on broadcast TV and radio.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vitriolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vitriolic. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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