Preposition: of

• government: His attitude seemed to be very scathing of the Government.

Preposition: about

• possibility: Ian later came to loathe both of them and was extremely scathing about the possibility of the supernatural.

• state: McCann is scathing about the British state and its defenders who have created and upheld bloodshed, bigotry and oppression in Ireland.

Modifies a noun

• indictment: Their text is a scathing indictment of alternative agendas for reconciliation.

• critique: Also a scathing critique of how it was undone.

• satire: Some of the most scathing satire in English literature is directed against lawyers.

• criticism: The Federal Emergency Management Agency received scathing criticism for its role in coordinating the initial Katrina response.

• attack: Children's laureate Anne Fine launched a scathing attack on the book last year.

Modifying Another Word

• equally: Opposition politicians were equally scathing in their response to the news.

• particularly: He was particularly scathing over Scottish Water's ability to put only 10 vans onto the street.

• pretty: Jim was pretty scathing about the ones you can buy with a wee door at the bottom, like a coal bunker.

• rather: I returned to school and, I admit, I was rather scathing about the ' toy ' I had been given.

• quite: His report on the village of 543 inhabitants made quite scathing reading.

• so: Should we really be so scathing of Cameron's involvement with drugs?

Used with adjective complement

• send: Then sent scathing is on a you just earn.

• get: Before I get scathing, let's try and be positive.