denigrate
verb
den·i·grate
ˈde-ni-ˌgrāt 
denigrated; denigrating
1
: to attack the reputation of : defame
denigrate one's opponents
2
: to deny the importance or validity of : belittle
denigrate their achievements
Did you know?
The word denigrate has been part of English since the 16th century and can be traced back to the Latin nigrare, meaning "to blacken." When denigrate was first used, it meant "to cast aspersions on someone's character or reputation." Eventually, it developed a second sense of "to make black" ("factory smoke denigrated the sky"), representing an interesting case of a literal sense (now rare) following a figurative one. Nowadays, you’re most likely to hear denigrate used as a synonym of defame or belittle.
Synonyms
Examples of denigrate in a Sentence
Her story denigrates him as a person and as a teacher.
No one is trying to denigrate the importance of a good education. We all know that it is crucial for success.
denigrating the talents and achievements of women
Recent Examples on the Web
But considering Trump spent all year denigrating the nation's election security, the swing in confidence is notable.
—
Miles Parks, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024
Trump, on the other hand, has repeatedly denigrated the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024
At this moment, there are loud and forceful voices denigrating DEI.
—Robert Blum, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2024
As detailed by the Anti-Defamation League, Ye, 47, made multiple remarks that were harshly criticized for denigrating Jewish people.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2024
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Miles Parks, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024
Trump, on the other hand, has repeatedly denigrated the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024
At this moment, there are loud and forceful voices denigrating DEI.
—Robert Blum, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2024
As detailed by the Anti-Defamation League, Ye, 47, made multiple remarks that were harshly criticized for denigrating Jewish people.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for denigrate
Articles Related to denigrate
Dictionary Entries Near denigrate
Cite this Entry
“Denigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denigrate. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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