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censorious

censorious

2 9.3
Often criticizes people harshly for their actions or choices
  • adjective
  • /sɛnˈsɔriəs/
  • Formal
translation icon : censorial
  • The film received a censorious review, condemning its portrayal of social issues.
  • more censorious

But they're able to portray the left as the scolding, censorious school teachers.

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Examples

  • Coleman Silk and his wife, Iris, were betrayed by the moral stupidity of a censorious and coercive community.

  • "His tone was censorious."

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Japanese media people, according to the data, are not especially censorious.

    Academic text (1999)
  • I don't wish to be censorious about individuals.

  • Successful collaboration depends upon the ability to learn together rather than to take a prescriptive and censorious attitude.

  • "Why not?" Offended by both the query and his censorious tone, she said, "I'm not one of those women who screams at every little thing."

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Buck's increasingly roseate view of her adopted land contrasted with her increasingly censorious view of her own.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Eulalie was mournful and Pauline was censorious about something else altogether.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The teacher's censorious comments made the students feel discouraged about their work.

  • His censorious nature often led him to criticize others for their choices without offering support.

Synonyms

derogatory
vscensorious
39 6.9

Expressing an insulting, disrespectful view of someone or something

focuses on harsh faultfinding rather than merely showing disrespect
scathing
vscensorious
19 7.7

Very strong, harsh criticism that hurts or shocks people

expresses strong disapproval but less sharply biting
hypercritical
vscensorious
2 8.0

Too quick to find small faults and judge people or things

criticizes harshly but without the unreasonable excess
reproachful
vscensorious
2 6.5

Showing disapproval in voice or look

expresses stronger harsh faultfinding rather than simple blame
condemnatory
vscensorious
1 7.9

Showing strong disapproval of someone or something

focuses more on finding personal faults harshly
overcritical
vscensorious
1 6.4

Too quick to find fault with other people or their work

finds faults harshly but not necessarily overly ready to judge
opprobrious
vscensorious
  • Formal
1 9.9

Making people feel ashamed in public with strong criticism

criticizes harshly but usually without aiming for public shaming
denigratory
vscensorious
  • Offensive
8.9

Giving unfair critical comments that make someone seem worse

criticizes harshly but not always by unfair discrediting
dyslogistic
vscensorious
9.9

To say bad things about someone or something to show disapproval

tends to target faults more aggressively than mere disparagement

Antonyms

72 3.2

Accepting of people and ideas that are different

32 4.4

Not strict about rules and punishment

1.3

Showing that you like and accept someone or something

How Critical

censorious
  • Formal
2 9.3
judgmental
  • US
99 4.6
critical
210 3.8

Surface Forms

censorious positive

Morphology

censorious = censor (transparent) = censor + ious

The adjective is formed productively with the suffix '-ious' from the verb/noun 'censor', so its meaning 'given to censure' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Censorious comes from the Latin root censere, meaning 'to judge', and is the same root as censor and censure, words about judging or criticizing. So, a censorious person is quick to find faults and to criticize others harshly.