excoriation

[ik-skawr-ee-ey-shuhn, -skohr-]

noun

1. the act of excoriating.

2. the state of being excoriated.

3. an excoriated place on the body.

Word History and Origins

Origin of excoriation¹

1375–1425; late Middle English excoriacioun < Medieval Latin excoriātiōn- (stem of excoriātiō ). See excoriate, -ion

Example Sentences

“I’m going to take my time,” Jeffries said before launching into a marathon excoriation of the legislation, its Medicaid cuts and its Republican backers.

From Los Angeles Times

“I didn’t want to talk about politics — I know when I talk about it, that’s the headline,” he says right before launching into a full-throated excoriation of Trump.

From Los Angeles Times

Clooney’s public excoriation proved to be a tipping point, creating a public relations disaster for the Biden campaign, said a confidant close to a senior Democratic leader who was not authorized to speak publicly.

From Los Angeles Times

There is an excoriation of the writing of Tom Wolfe.

From Los Angeles Times

By contrast, this latest book feels like an excoriation of his adopted homeland, a lament about the direction it took during the Trump administration and a cautionary tale about where it could end up.

From Washington Post

When To Use

What does excoriation mean?

Excoriation is the act or an instance of excoriating—harshly scolding, criticizing, denouncing, or expressing intense disapproval of someone or something.Excoriating someone often involves the severest possible tone and words.This sense of excoriate is based on its original, literal meaning: to strip off or remove the skin from an animal or person. The skin on your hands might be excoriated from hard yard work, for example. The word flay can be used as a synonym for both the figurative and literal sense of excoriate.Excoriation can also refer to the state of being excoriated.In a medical context, excoriation can refer to an instance of the skin being scratched, scraped, or otherwise caused to be rubbed off or removed. It can also refer to a part of the body where this has happened, as in The patient had a large excoriation on his back as a result of the accident. Example: Her public excoriation of her rival for his role in the scandal was severe and unyielding.