Vocabulary Spotlight
Censorious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition: Severely critical of others; inclined to find fault or criticize.
“The critic’s censorious tone made it clear he disapproved of the new play.”
Pronunciation
[sen-sawr-ee-uhs]
Synonyms, Antonyms & Related Words
Synonyms
Judgmental
Faultfinding
Disapproving
Hypercritical
Antonyms
Tolerant
Forgiving
Accepting
Uncritical
Related Words
Critic
Censorship
Word Origin
“Censorious” is derived from the Latin word “censor,” referring to Roman officials tasked with supervising public behavior. Over time, the term evolved to describe someone who is highly critical or faultfinding.
Word Family
Adjective: Censorious – Inclined to criticize.
Related Noun: Censoriousness – The quality of being highly critical.
Mnemonics
Remember “Censorious” as “Censors who are FURIOUS”—always critical or faultfinding.
Link “censorious” with “serious criticism” to remember its meaning.
Industry-specific Usage
Media Criticism
Some media critics are often described as censorious for their harsh reviews of movies, books, or art exhibitions.
Education
A censorious teacher may focus on students’ mistakes more than their achievements, often affecting morale.
Politics
Politicians can sometimes adopt a censorious attitude toward opponents to discredit them publicly.
In Context
Being censorious can imply having excessively high standards, often leading to constant criticism. While sometimes justified for improving standards, it can also come across as unnecessarily harsh, discouraging constructive dialogue or creativity.