scarifying Synonyms
Another word for scarifying
• adjective (Context 1)
Severely critical, harsh, or wounding to the feelings.
"The playwright was deeply discouraged after reading the critic's scathing review of the opening night performance."
• noun (Context 2)
The act or process of making shallow incisions in the skin, breaking up the surface of soil or pavement, or nicking the hard coat of a seed to aid germination.
"Autumn is the ideal season for lawn scarification, as it clears away moss and dead grass before winter."
• verb (Context 3)
To make shallow incisions, scratches, or cuts in a surface, such as skin, soil, rock, or the outer coat of a seed (present participle of scarify).
"The botanist is scoring the hard lupine seeds with sandpaper so they will absorb water and germinate more quickly."
• adjective (Context 4)
Extremely frightening, alarming, or distressing.
"Driving along the narrow mountain pass during a blizzard was a truly terrifying experience."
• verb (Context 5)
To criticize severely or wound the feelings of someone; or, informally, to frighten or terrify (present participle of scarify).
"The investigative journalist spent the entire chapter excoriating the corrupt officials for their negligence."
Opposites of scarifying
The opposite of scarifying shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: