catty

Examples

• All

• Like, girls are so catty, you know, like, girl world is really vicious.

  Molly Burke

• You know, you women, you're so catty, so competitive.

  The Loft (2014)

• After a while, the long hours, the pressure to perform, the catty reviews... it started to wear me down.

  Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998)

• Helen hardly ever spoke in a catty way.

  Fiction book (1995)

• My confidence has increased, and I'm less likely to engage in catty behavior.

  Blog text (23)

• Selina gives her a catty little smile.

  Fiction book (1992)

• It's all industry talk and name-dropping and catty backstabbing.

  Café Society (2016)

• I sure do wish women weren't so catty when it comes to someone else's body.

  Blog text (4)

• Women are considered bitchy, catty, manipulative, vindictive, not to be trusted, especially by other women.

  Miss Representation (2011)

• Her catty comment about my outfit made me feel self-conscious.

Synonyms

M

mean

vscatty

869 2.2

Unkind and cruel toward other people

is more sly and malicious rather than simply unkind or cruel

B

bitchy

vscatty

• Offensive

37 8.1

Saying or doing mean things that hurt people in small ways

is deliberately hurtful but with sly, malicious intention

S

spiteful

vscatty

22 5.1

Wanting to hurt or upset someone on purpose

is malicious but often expressed in sly, sneaky ways

T

tart

vscatty

• Slang

3 6.7

A sharp, biting remark that hurts or criticizes

is more spiteful and deliberate rather than merely sharp or harsh

N

narky

vscatty

• UK

1 9.9

Having a sharp, unfriendly tone that criticizes others

is intentionally malicious and sly rather than just irritable criticism

V

venomous-tongued

vscatty

• Literature

1 9.4

Saying harsh, mean things that hurt people

is malicious and hurtful often with sly or spiteful tone

C

contumelious

vscatty

• Offensive

1 9.9

Being arrogantly rude and openly disrespectful to other people

is malicious and sly rather than formal arrogant contempt

C

cattish

vscatty

1 9.3

Being sly and mean when you speak, often making small hurtful remarks

is deliberately hurtful or malicious in general rather than only in talk

S

snidery

vscatty

1 9.9

Having a mean or hurtful tone that makes people feel small

is deliberately hurtful with malice rather than merely mocking tone

Antonyms

N

nice

∞ 1.0

Being pleasant and enjoyable to experience

K

kind

905 1.0

Being helpful and caring toward other people

Compounds

C

catty-corner

• US

2 7.9

At an angle across the corner of a street or room

C

catty remark

• Offensive

1 7.4

A mean comment that aims to hurt someone

C

catty behavior

• Offensive

1 7.7

Mean words or actions that secretly hurt people in a social group

C

catty conversation

• Offensive

1 7.9

A talk where people say mean things about others, often behind their backs

How Mean

venomous

8 6.3

malicious

83 5.8

spiteful

22 5.1

catty

• Offensive

11 7.2

snide

26 7.5

Surface Forms

Etymology