Word: excoriate

Associations

"Excoriate" means to criticize someone or something very harshly. It can also refer to the act of stripping the skin off, but in common usage, it mostly pertains to severe verbal criticism.

• Example 1: The journalist excoriated the politician for his unethical behavior. (Here, the journalist is sharply criticizing the politician).
• Example 2: In her review, the critic excoriated the movie for its poor acting and lack of story. (The critic is pointing out the movie's flaws very strongly).
• Example 3: During the debate, he excoriated his opponent's arguments, calling them completely misguided. (The person is ridiculing and strongly rejecting the opponent’s points).

A synonym for "excoriate" is "berate" which means to scold or criticize someone angrily. The main difference is that "berate" usually implies shouting or a more emotional outburst, while "excoriate" can be more formal and analytical in its criticism.

Substitution

You could also use "castigate," "rebuke," or "denounce" instead of "excoriate".

• "Castigate" generally implies punishment for misbehavior or wrongdoing.
• "Rebuke" often involves expressing sharp disapproval or criticism.
• "Denounce" indicates a public declaration of wrongness or evil.

These substitutions can change the emotional weight or the context of the criticism.

Deconstruction

The word "excoriate" comes from the Latin "excoriare," where "ex-" means "out of" and "corium" means "skin." Therefore, it originally referred to "removing skin." Over time, it evolved to be used figuratively to mean "removing the skin" of someone's reputation or ideas through severe criticism.

Inquiry

• Think about a time when you felt someone was excoriated. What happened, and how did it make you feel?
• Can you recall an instance where you might have excoriated someone due to frustration? How did you express that?
• In what situations do you think excoriation is appropriate or necessary?