scathing
Americanadjective
-
bitterly severe, as a remark.
a scathing review of the play.
-
harmful, injurious, or searing.
adjective
-
harshly critical; scornful
a scathing remark
-
damaging; painful
Other Word Forms
- scathingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of scathing
Explanation
Scathing means witheringly harsh. If you enter a singing contest and the judge says that your singing is like that of a toad with laryngitis, that is scathing criticism. Scathing comes from an old Norse verb, to scathe, which means to injure by fire or lightning. Now we use it when someone’s critique is so harsh that it feels like you've been burned. If your best friend turns against you and advertises your faults to the world, and you feel like everyone is staring and talking about you, you are having a scathing experience.
Vocabulary lists containing scathing
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for October 3–9, 2020
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100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Recently, the doctrine has come in for scathing criticism from commentators across the ideological spectrum.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Cherki featured in France's friendly win over Colombia during the recent international break, but 1998 World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry provided a scathing assessment of the player and his work-rate.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
On Friday, Judge Boasberg's order was scathing in its criticism of Pirro's office.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
The writer Thomas Mann, “a conservative and a patriot,” chose exile, becoming a scathing critic of those who didn’t do likewise.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Mr. Weasley gave Harry a scathing look and swept from the lift.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
