Words / C2

ik-SKORR-ee-ayt/ɪkˈskɔːrieɪt/

Excoriate means criticise severely (formal): the review excoriated the research. Literally it can mean strip skin — keep the criticise sense in academic English. Castigate and lambast are cousins; criticise is the plain verb. Praise is the opposite.

Meaning

To criticise someone or something severely (formal).

Examples

• “The review excoriated the sloppy research.”
• “The committee excoriated the delay as negligent.”
• “Columnists excoriated the speech without quoting it.”

Good to know

excoriate + person/work (formal attack). Plain: criticise fiercely. Literal skin sense is rare here.

Near in meaning

castigate

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