GREAT GIFT IDEA!

The Vocabulary Builder Workbook of Adjectives

✔ Add 2,000 must-know adjectives to your vocabulary.

✔ All-in-one: dictionary, thesaurus, & workbook.

✔ 99 categorized lessons, 232 practical activities.

✔ Suitable for students & professionals of all ages.

✔ Ideal preparation for: TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, CPE, BEC, PTE, FCE

Buy on Amazon

4.9

Transform Your Vocabulary Today!

excoriate

verb

/ɪkˈskɔːrɪeɪt/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of excoriate

To criticize or condemn someone or something severely and often publicly.
"Food bloggers often excoriate new restaurants that fail to meet their high standards."

Detailed meaning of excoriate

It can also mean to denounce or berate someone in a harsh or bitter manner. The term comes from the Latin word "excoriatus" which means "to strip off the skin."

When someone is excoriated, they are subject to harsh and often unjust criticism, which may be verbal or in written form. The criticism can be directed towards an individual, group, or an idea and can be very damaging to the person's reputation or credibility. The criticism can be so severe that it can be seen as scathing, merciless, or ruthless.

Excoriation can also be used to describe the act of physically scraping or scraping off the skin, as in medical terms, or as a metaphor to describe something that is being worn away or damaged over time.

Excoriation can be used in many different contexts and can be applied to individuals, groups, organizations, or even entire societies. In general, it is seen as a negative act and a strong form of condemnation or criticism.

Example sentences containing excoriate

1. Critics excoriate the director for his controversial choices in the movie.
2. Health experts excoriate soda companies for their contribution to the obesity epidemic.
3. Parents excoriate the school administration for their handling of the bullying incident.
4. The opposition party excoriates the president for his economic policies during the assembly.
5. Animal rights groups excoriate fashion houses that continue to use real fur in their designs.
6. Voters excoriate politicians who don't deliver on their campaign promises.

History and etymology of excoriate

The verb 'excoriate' has its etymological origins in Latin, shedding light on its meaning. It derives from the Latin word 'excoriatus,' which is the past participle of 'excoriare.' This Latin term is a combination of 'ex,' meaning 'thoroughly,' and 'corium,' meaning 'skin' or 'hide.' The original sense of 'excoriare' was quite literal, referring to the act of removing the skin or outer covering from something. Over time, this evolved metaphorically into the figurative sense of harshly criticizing or condemning someone or something, as if stripping away their metaphorical 'skin' to reveal flaws or faults. Thus, the etymology of 'excoriate' underscores its history of severe and often public criticism, mirroring the process of peeling away layers to reveal underlying issues.

Quiz: Find the meaning of the verb excoriate:

answer1

answer2

answer3

answer4

Try Again!

Correct!

Continue Quiz

Further usage examples of excoriate

1. Activists excoriate the corporate world for the perceived exploitation of workers.
2. Musicians excoriate streaming services for their poor payout rates.
3. Scholars excoriate the inaccurate representation of history in certain textbooks.
4. Women's rights groups excoriate societies that do not provide equal opportunities for women.
5. Workers excoriate the management for inadequate safety measures in the workplace.
6. Sports fans excoriate referees for decisions they perceive as unfair.
7. Customers excoriate businesses that do not uphold their return policies.
8. Film enthusiasts often excoriate Hollywood for its lack of original content.
9. Professional reviewers excoriate authors who plagiarize the work of others.
10. Scientists excoriate pseudoscience for muddying the waters of public understanding.
11. Journalists excoriate the lack of transparency in government dealings.
12. Human rights organizations excoriate countries that violate international human rights standards.
13. The journalist didn't hesitate to excoriate the government's actions.
14. His scathing review excoriated the film for its lack of originality.
15. The coach didn't hold back and excoriated the team's performance.
16. She used her platform to excoriate the company's unethical practices.
17. Critics excoriated the book, calling it poorly researched.
18. In his speech, he chose to excoriate political corruption.
19. The public excoriated the celebrity for his controversial remarks.
20. The editorial excoriated the mayor's mishandling of the crisis.
21. The professor excoriated the students for not doing their homework.
22. Social media users didn't hesitate to excoriate the influencer.
23. The opposition party excoriated the budget proposal.
24. The public excoriated the CEO's exorbitant salary.