Censorious: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿคจ
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censorious

 

[หŒsษ›nหˆsษ”หrษชษ™s ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

critical

Severely critical of others; faultfinding.

Synonyms

captious, critical, faultfinding, hypercritical.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
censorious

Used when someone is being excessively critical, especially in a moralistic way.

  • The censorious comments of the judge made the contestant feel demoralized.
  • Her censorious attitude towards the neighbors' choices was not appreciated.
critical

General term for someone evaluating or judging something, not necessarily in a negative way.

  • The teacher was critical of the student's essay but provided constructive feedback.
  • It's important to be critical of the sources of information you come across.
faultfinding

Refers to the ongoing practice of detecting and pointing out faults, often perceived negatively.

  • Her faultfinding nature made it difficult to work with her in a team.
  • The manager's faultfinding approach demotivated the staff.
captious

Applied in situations where someone is inclined to find trivial faults or raise petty objections.

  • The captious critic focused on minor details rather than the overall quality of the artwork.
  • Despite the positive feedback, there were captious comments about the event's organization.
hypercritical

Used when someone is excessively and unreasonably critical, often negative in connotation.

  • His hypercritical remarks about the movie ruined the evening for everyone.
  • The judge's hypercritical attitude made the competition more stressful for the participants.

Examples of usage

  • He was known for his censorious attitude towards the younger generation.
  • The censorious remarks of the professor made the students feel discouraged.
  • She received a censorious look from her mother after coming home late.
  • The newspaper article was harsh and censorious towards the government's policies.
  • The censorious tone in her voice made him feel uneasy.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The word comes from 'censor', which originally referred to Roman officials who assessed public morality.
  • It entered English in the 17th century, blending the idea of criticism with moral judgment.
  • The suffix '-ious' means 'full of', indicating that being censorious means being full of criticism.

Literature

  • Censorious characters often appear in literature as a foil to more open-minded protagonists, enhancing themes of tolerance.
  • Many classic novels feature censorious figures who restrict creativity and self-expression, such as certain characters in George Orwell's '1984'.
  • These characters can often symbolize societal fears about losing freedom and individuality.

Psychology

  • Being censorious can stem from a psychology where a person feels threatened by differing ideas or behaviors.
  • People with a critical view might feel a lack of control in their lives and project this onto others.
  • Research indicates that overly critical individuals may struggle with their own insecurities and self-esteem issues.

Cultural Perceptions

  • In some cultures, being censorious is seen as upholding moral standards, while in others, it might be perceived as stifling creativity.
  • Media portrayals often depict censorious people in a negative light, highlighting the value of open-mindedness.
  • Social media has amplified censorious behavior, where users may harshly critique or 'cancel' others for perceived wrongs.

Pop Culture

  • Censorious figures often appear in satire and comedy, exposing the absurdity in being overly critical.
  • Popular films and shows often parody censorious characters to critique societal norms and expectations.
  • The concept can also be explored in political dialogues, where censorship and criticism of free speech are hot topics.

Translations

Translations of the word "censorious" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น censorioso

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค†เคฒเฅ‹เคšเคจเคพเคคเฅเคฎเค•

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช kritisch

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ censorius

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะพััƒะดะปะธะฒะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ cenzorski

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆ‰นๅˆค็š„

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท censeur

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ censurador

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sansรผrcรผ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋น„ํŒ์ ์ธ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู†ุงู‚ุฏ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ cenzurnรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ cenzorskรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ‰นๅˆค็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ cenzorski

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ rรฝnir

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั†ะตะฝะทะพั€ะปั‹า›

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒชแƒ”แƒœแƒ–แƒแƒ แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ senzor

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ censor

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #29,928, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.