To revile someone means to criticize them harshly and angrily, often with cruel or insulting language. When people revile someone, they go beyond simply disagreeing or expressing disappointment. They attack with intense verbal hostility.

During recess, you might see one student revile another, shouting mean insults instead of calmly explaining what upset them. In history, unpopular political leaders have been reviled by crowds who cursed and jeered at them. A coach who constantly reviles players with vicious put-downs rather than constructive criticism will lose their respect.

The word suggests an almost hateful intensity. Someone who reviles doesn't just say “I don't like this” or even “This is wrong.” They unleash harsh, bitter language meant to demean and attack. You might read in a novel that a villain was reviled by the townspeople.

Notice how different this is from healthy disagreement. When you respectfully tell a friend you think they made a mistake, that's honest communication. When you revile them with nasty insults, you've crossed into something cruel and destructive.