mordacious
- adjective
- /mɔrˈdeɪʃəs/
- Formal
:
mordaz
- His review was so mordacious that the author refused to comment.
Examples
-
Her mordacious wit left her colleagues at a loss for words.
-
Her mordacious remarks often offend her colleagues.
-
The article was filled with mordacious remarks about the political system.
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The critic's review was mordacious and left the author devastated.
-
His mordacious comments during the meeting caught everyone off guard and sparked a heated debate.
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The comedian's mordacious humor often ridicules societal norms, challenging audiences to think critically.
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She wrote a mordacious column that exposed the hypocrisy in the government, prompting widespread discussion.
Synonyms
19
7.7
Very strong, harsh criticism that hurts or shocks people
10
9.3
Harsh, angry words that strongly hurt someone
9
7.4
Being very sharp and unkind in speech or writing
9
8.4
Full of angry, bitter words in a speech or argument
8
8.2
Speech or writing that is harsh and likely to offend people
7
7.1
Expressing harsh, biting criticism that hurts people or their confidence
3
8.2
Language that uses clear, strong words to criticize ideas
2
6.5
Sharp, biting words that can hurt or shock people
2
9.9
Using very angry and insulting words to attack someone
1
8.7
Expressing sharp, often ironic criticism that can feel harsh
1
6.7
Words said to hurt or criticize someone
1
9.9
Having a sharp, unfriendly tone that criticizes others
Harsh, sharply critical words that hurt people
Saying harsh, mean things that hurt people
Quick to say sharp things that hurt
Sharp and unkind in a way that hurts people's feelings
Antonyms
How Biting
Surface Forms
Morphology
mordacious = mord + acious
Although the word contains the bound root mord- and the adjective-forming suffix -acious, most learners will not know the historical link to Latin 'bite', so the meaning is not predictable from the form.
Etymology
Mordacious comes from the Latin verb mordere, which means 'to bite'. So a mordacious remark is like a 'bite' from words, sharp and painful, which is why it means very cutting or critical speech.