Invidious
/ɪnˈvɪdiəs/
adjectiveC2
Definition
Invidious means causing bad feelings like anger or jealousy, often because something looks unfair or makes someone feel treated badly. It is used to describe actions, decisions, or comparisons that can upset people or cause resentment (a feeling of being treated unfairly).
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See It in Action
Causing resentment or anger due to unfairness or jealousy
- •The manager made an invidious comparison between the employees' performances.
- •Giving one child more gifts than the others can create an invidious situation.
- •His invidious remarks made many people feel upset and jealous.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "invidious" like "unfair," but stronger because it makes people feel angry or jealous, not just that something is wrong
- ✓Picture someone being chosen for a prize while others feel left out and upset—this choice feels invidious
- ✓It's the feeling when you see someone getting more attention or reward and you feel jealous or hurt inside
- ✓Sounds like "in-VID-ee-us" → imagine a video ("vid") that shows unfair things making people angry or jealous
- ✓Think of stories where a king favors one child and others feel angry and jealous—this is an invidious act
- ✓NOT like "nice" or "fair" (which make people happy), invidious causes negative feelings because of unfairness
- ✓NOT just "different"—invidious means the difference causes hurt or jealousy, not just a simple change
Try Other Words
- •Unfair: not treating people equally or justly (Use when the focus is on justice or equality)
- •Offensive: causing hurt or upset feelings (Use when the action or comment is rude or insulting)
- •Resentful: feeling angry because of unfair treatment (Use when describing the feeling caused by an invidious act)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "in-" meaning "not" or "into"
- •Root: "vid" from Latin "invidere," meaning "to look at with envy or jealousy"
- •Suffix: "-ious" meaning "full of" or "having the quality of"
- •Origin: From Latin "invidiosus," meaning "envious, hateful, or causing envy"
- •Historical use: Originally related to envy or jealousy, now used for things that cause unfair dislike or resentment
- •Modern use: Describes actions or situations that unfairly cause bad feelings or jealousy
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when an action or comment felt invidious to you or someone you know? How did it affect feelings?
•How can understanding the word "invidious" help you avoid causing hurt or jealousy in your own actions?
Fill in the blanks
1.The teacher’s invidious comparison between students caused ___ among the class.
2.An invidious decision often leads to feelings of ___ because some people feel treated unfairly.
3.Unlike a simple mistake, an invidious act is one that ___ strong negative emotions like jealousy.
4.When a boss makes an invidious remark, employees may feel ___ and less motivated.
5.The phrase "invidious distinction" means a difference that ___ resentment or anger.
6.People try to avoid making invidious choices because they ___ hurt feelings or jealousy.
7.Invidious comments are often ___ carefully because they can damage relationships quickly.