Invidious

Invidious describes something that is likely to cause resentment or envy in others, often because it involves making unfair distinctions or comparisons. It can refer to actions, situations, or even feelings. The word often highlights the perceived unfairness of a decision or practice, emphasizing its potential to create ill will. An invidious situation is one where someone is placed in a difficult or unpleasant position due to the circumstances, frequently involving choices between undesirable options. The core meaning lies in creating a sense of unjustifiable comparison or discrimination.

Invidious meaning with examples

• The company's decision to grant bonuses to only a select few employees created an invidious atmosphere in the office. The perceived unfairness of the distribution led to resentment and diminished morale among those who were excluded. This selective reward system, seen as invidious by many, sparked a wave of complaints and reduced productivity, highlighting the negative impact of biased treatment.
• The professor's invidious comparison of students' work in front of the class made several students feel humiliated. The public critique, intended as constructive feedback, was interpreted by some as harsh and unnecessarily judgmental. The resulting embarrassment left the students less willing to participate, as the assessment was seen as invidious.
• The government's implementation of a new tax law with significantly higher rates for certain demographics was seen as an invidious move by those affected. The perceived discriminatory impact of the law caused an uproar, due to the appearance of unfairness in the tax burden, creating social division.
• Choosing who to fire in a financial crisis inevitably leads to an invidious task for a manager. The act of laying people off creates resentment and it will likely leave the manager with guilt. The necessity of such cuts forces decisions that impact people's lives, creating a burden of guilt on the decision makers.
• Critics considered the selection committee's preference for one candidate over several other qualified applicants to be invidious. The subjective criteria used in the evaluation process gave rise to the perception of favoritism. Questions of favoritism made it appear the assessment was biased and unfairly skewed.