as in abuse
harsh insulting language
hurled curses and invective at the driver who heedlessly cut them off in traffic
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language
an overbearing, bullying boss who is fond of sending invective e-mails to long-suffering assistants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of invective
John Branch, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2025
That decision, highly unusual in Japan, earned her some support from politicians, but a tide of abuse and invective on social media from people dismissing her claims.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Apr. 2025
Photo: YouTube Cummings is known as a roast comic, an artist of invective.
—Kerry Howley, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invective
Noun
Oilers fans booed the American national anthem, and one woman used a lull to shout an invective about Mr. Trump.
—John Branch, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2025
That decision, highly unusual in Japan, earned her some support from politicians, but a tide of abuse and invective on social media from people dismissing her claims.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
In the same year, Disney’s ESPN had to contend with host Pat McAfee, a rambunctious host, hurling invective at a former senior executive, Norby Williamson, who the host alleged had tried to sabotage his program.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Apr. 2025
Photo: YouTube Cummings is known as a roast comic, an artist of invective.
—Kerry Howley, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invective
Noun
-
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.—
Cassandra Jaramillo,
ProPublica,
12 July 2025
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Many of these complications are meant to either limit the cost of tax breaks or to prevent anticipated abuses.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Samuel Dunham, 12, said he was adopted from an abusive family.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
11 July 2025
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The administration has cited a need to counter China’s abusive trade practices, but this is undermined by the 25 percent tariff on Japanese goods.—
The Editors,
National Review,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
The politicization of the COVID response has only worsened this trend, likely resulting in part from Trump’s vituperation.—
Matt Motta,
Scientific American,
29 Oct. 2024
-
Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni is insulting because a macaroni was a pejorative term used to describe a fashionable man with feminine traits of 18th-century Britain.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
2 July 2025
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Conversations revealed an ongoing dialogue that was not only deeply insulting to Read, but morally offensive to women broadly.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Adding insult, he was called for eight fouls in Tuesday night’s victory over the Golden State Warriors, with players allowed 10 in summer league, four above the regular-season maximum.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 July 2025
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Amid the mix of compliments and insults from obvious trolls, many thought ATB bore a striking resemblance to another member of the family.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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The film series' latest installment — Madea's Destination Wedding — premiered on Netflix on July 11 and has proven to be one of the franchise's most outrageous chapters yet.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
14 July 2025
-
Insult to injury, large change orders provided again without explanation to a firm with direct political connection to the city administration — outrageous!—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
13 July 2025
Noun
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That decision drew sharp criticism from European football chiefs.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
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Already, the Combs verdict is fueling criticism that prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which is known for being particularly aggressive, overcharged the case.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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On Wednesday, the President faced a barrage of ominous developments that might have fazed another leader—a worrisome jobs report, losses in federal court related to four of his signature policies, an increasingly vituperative public breakup with Elon Musk.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
5 June 2025
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Even before Trump took office, many scientists were reluctant to engage with the topic, for fear of being drawn into what has been a very public and vituperative debate.—
Daniel Engber,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invective. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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