harsh roast
- noun
- /hɑrʃ roʊst/
- Informal
- The comedian's harsh roast left the audience both shocked and amused.
Examples
-
In her review, she provided a harsh roast of the new movie, pointing out its flaws in a witty manner.
-
Her article was a harsh roast of current political policies.
-
After the performance, the panel delivered a harsh roast of the contestants' efforts.
-
That was a really harsh roast on his performance.
-
Everyone laughed at the harsh roast during the party.
-
After the comedy show, the critics wrote a harsh roast of the performers' jokes and delivery.
-
The television host delivered a harsh roast of the celebrity's recent missteps, making the audience laugh.
Synonyms
53
7.3
An event where people make jokes that insult one person for fun
49
4.8
An act of making someone look silly so other people laugh at them
16
7.9
Laughing at or making fun of someone to show you do not respect them
13
6.4
A short sharp remark meant to hurt or criticize someone
10
5.5
An act of making fun of someone to show dislike
8
6.3
An insulting remark meant to hurt someone
7
4.2
Very strong negative comments that show disapproval
5
7.7
A sharp remark that humiliates someone in an argument
4
3.9
Strong negative opinion that is unkind or too strict
2
8.2
A strong attack in words on a person or group
1
9.0
Severe criticism or punishment using harsh words
1
5.4
Making jokes about a person in front of others to tease them
1
7.2
A harshly critical comment that aims to hurt or mock someone
1
7.9
Harsh, honest jokes that hurt or shock people
1
6.6
Very harsh comments that make someone feel hurt
1
8.7
A sharp remark that hurts or shocks people
A very harsh and angry comment meant to hurt someone
Antonyms
- Literature
19
3.3
A very positive written or spoken opinion about something such as a play
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'harsh' (severe, unkind) with 'roast' (a mocking public commentary). As a straightforward adjective + noun composition that preserves the constituents' senses, a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer a strongly critical or mocking evaluation.
Etymology
Harsh roast comes from the cooking image of a dinner roast: to roast someone is to put them under hot, joking words, and harsh means very strong or severe. So a harsh roast is a set of jokes or comments that 'strongly criticize' someone in a mocking way.