1 revile | Definition of revile

revile

verb
re·​vile | \ ri-ˈvÄ«(-É™)l How to pronounce revile (audio) \
reviled; reviling

Definition of revile

transitive verb

: to subject to verbal abuse : vituperate

intransitive verb

: to use abusive language : rail

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Other Words from revile

revilement \ ri-​ˈvÄ«(-​É™)l-​mÉ™nt How to pronounce revilement (audio) \ noun
reviler noun

Choose the Right Synonym for revile

scold, upbraid, berate, rail, revile, vituperate mean to reproach angrily and abusively. scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly. angrily scolding the children upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds. upbraided her assistants for poor research berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding. berated continually by an overbearing boss rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating. railed loudly at their insolence revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred. an alleged killer reviled in the press vituperate suggests a violent reviling. was vituperated for betraying his friends

Examples of revile in a Sentence

Many people reviled him for his callous behavior.

Recent Examples on the Web

But there was Chase Koch, scion of one of America’s mightiest private industrial dynasties — a family revered by the political right, reviled by the left and feared by just about everyone — joking about his knockabout years down in Texas. Tom Maloneybloomberg, Los Angeles Times, "Koch Industries bets on tech: ‘Do it or we’ll end up in the Dumpster’," 19 Aug. 2019 Revered by some, reviled by others, Lee Iacocca was a force to be reckoned with, both publicly and privately. Charlotte W. Craig, Detroit Free Press, "Lee Iacocca dies: Father of Mustang, rescuer of Chrysler was 94," 2 July 2019 So began a period of contrasting trajectories for Dr. Lewis that played out over decades and, in many ways, forged his dual images as either revered or reviled. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, "Bernard Lewis, eminent historian of the Middle East, dies at 101," 19 May 2018 Google Glass was a notorious bust, widely reviled for a clumsy effort to inject computing right into everyday life and putting the geeky technology right on people’s faces. Mike Rogoway, oregonlive.com, "Vancouver startup RealWear raises $80 million for augmented reality hardhat," 1 July 2019 Bromptons are revered and reviled with equal vigor, and the company’s first electric bike — launching in the US this week — will only intensify that. Thomas Ricker, The Verge, "Brompton Electric bike review: remarkably practical," 2 July 2019 Johnson is reviled by critics who brand him a racist and a serial liar, a man whose thirst for power knows no bounds. Alexander Smith, NBC News, "Boris Johnson's to lose: Race for next U.K. leader nears the endgame," 18 June 2019 Collectors revile changes that alter the card’s appearance. Mike Rogoway, oregonlive.com, "Sports memorabilia firm plans ‘investigation’ into allegedly altered trading cards," 5 June 2019 The industry has long been reviled by critics for charging stratospheric interest rates — typically 400% on an annual basis — that leave customers trapped in cycles of debt. Anjali Tsui, ProPublica, "How Payday Lenders Spent $1 Million at a Trump Resort — and Cashed In," 5 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'revile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of revile

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for revile

Middle English, from Anglo-French reviler to despise, from re- + vil vile

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More Definitions for revile

revile

verb

English Language Learners Definition of revile

formal : to speak about (someone or something) in a very critical or insulting way

revile

verb
re·​vile | \ ri-ˈvÄ«l How to pronounce revile (audio) \
reviled; reviling

Kids Definition of revile

: to speak to or about in an insulting way

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More from Merriam-Webster on revile

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with revile

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for revile

Spanish Central: Translation of revile

Nglish: Translation of revile for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of revile for Arabic Speakers