scathe
Denounce with venom
Scathe means to harm or injure, but the word appears almost exclusively in its negative form: She escaped unscathed.
The positive verb is rare and archaic.
The adjective scathing, however, thrives independently—a scathing review or scathing criticism attacks with biting severity, as if inflicting damage through words.
Harm or impairment
- injuryPhysical or psychological harm
- hurtCause or feel pain
- woundCoiled, or an injury
- maimInflict disabling wound
impair · devastate · ravage · ruin · mar · blight · afflict · traumatize
Publicly declare wrongdoing
- excoriateSeverely criticize or censure
- lambasteScold with ferocity
- castigateReprimand severely
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
rebuke · condemn · attack · blast · slam · pan · pillory · savage
damage
Harm or impairment
maim · impair · devastate · ravage · ruin · mar · blight · afflict · traumatize · wreck
denounce
Publicly declare wrongdoing
censure · rebuke · condemn · attack · blast · slam · pan · pillory · savage · flay
ridicule
Contemptuous mocking treatment
disdain · jeer · taunt · mock · deride · disparage · belittle · humiliate · lampoon · scoff
blistering
Extremely intense or severe
cutting · biting · caustic · mordant · acerbic · vitriolic · trenchant · sharp · harsh · brutal