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
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Recent Examples of invective
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2024
At mass rallies, politicians holler accusations, oaths, invectives, and promises at the top of their lungs.
—Piotr Zalewski, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2015
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 Aug. 2024
The New York Times listed the congresswoman as one of the most fervent users of polarizing and invective rhetoric in Congress based on social media posts and comments on the House floor.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 14 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for invective
Noun
The one who hurled invectives against the media and accused them of fake news was outed in his trial as a beneficiary of and creator of fake news for the National Enquirer.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2024
At mass rallies, politicians holler accusations, oaths, invectives, and promises at the top of their lungs.
—Piotr Zalewski, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2015
Adjective
But a showdown between Biden and Trump in the 2020 election proved off-putting, with Trump refusing to stay quiet when his opponent talked and both candidates hurling invective at their opponent.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 Aug. 2024
The New York Times listed the congresswoman as one of the most fervent users of polarizing and invective rhetoric in Congress based on social media posts and comments on the House floor.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 14 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for invective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invective
Noun
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In this week’s episode, Bailey befriends Diana, a fellow victim of domestic abuse who runs a local women’s shelter.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2025
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The gesture is also a stark reminder of the lasting impact of abuse on players.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
The Athletic,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His character is the family patriarch and an abusive alcoholic.—
Michael Paulson,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
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Childhood’s a hugely impressionable time, even when you’re not being brought on the set of Psycho II to re-create the abusive early years of a murderous character played as an adult by your own father.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
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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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The crude and insulting attacks Democratic lawmakers have leveled at President Donald Trump and Elon Musk threaten to drive away voters who want the party to work with the new president to cut wasteful spending.—
Paul Bedard,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
12 Feb. 2025
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The positive media coverage of Thomas was the insulting cherry on top of the situation for Estabrook.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
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During a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2023, Messi and Rodrygo exchanged insults.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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The jury found that on Aug. 19, after Stanford revoked her access, Mangi logged into the study database and replaced patient medical data with erroneous information and insults about her former supervisor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
Jason Green,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Lady Gaga has made a career of wearing the most outrageous, impractical and confounding costumes in pop history.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2025
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The project to build a bullet train from Los Angeles to Sacramento is an outrageous example of a public work that lacked any fiscal responsibility or oversight from the state government.—
Jon Coupal,
Orange County Register,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The event gave the royals the opportunity to put on a united front in the face of Harry and Meghan's criticisms made during the show.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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Ultimately, interviews with more than two dozen people showed that Trump's aides at the White House and USAGM wanted the network to reflect Trump's successes and to tamp down on criticisms of him - a consistent thread of recent developments.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Trump’s vituperative persona, his enmity toward multilateralism, and his extreme policy agenda could easily sink the United States’ prospects for meaningful leadership of the G-20.—
Leslie Vinjamuri,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Nov. 2024
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Unlike Rhoades, a vituperative colossus, however, Williams brings a steely determination and a Joe Friday, just-the-facts mien to his lawyering in the court of public opinion.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Invective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invective. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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