flattering vs scathing

flattering

adj
  • That which represents too favorably. 

  • Attractive or good-looking; that makes one look good. 

  • Gratifying to one's self-esteem; complimentary. 

noun
  • The action of the verb to flatter. 

  • Instances of flattery. 

scathing

adj
  • Harshly or bitterly critical; vitriolic. 

  • Harmful or painful; acerbic. 

How often have the words flattering and scathing occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )