disparage

verb

dis·​par·​age di-ˈsper-ij 

-ˈspa-rij

disparaged; disparaging; disparages

transitive verb

1

: to belittle the importance or value of (someone or something) : to speak slightingly about (someone or something)

disparaged his opponent

religious beliefs disparaged as superstition

… drew fire this month for disparaging the company's theme parks as "cheap day-care centers for teenagers" …

—Lisa Fickenscher

2

: to lower (someone or something) in rank or reputation : degrade

Mr Miles said changing the hospital's name was not designed to disparage the name or recognition of Lady Cilento.

—Lucy Stone

disparagement

di-ˈsper-ij-mənt 

-ˈspa-rij-

noun

disparager noun

Did you know?

In Middle English, to "disparage" someone meant causing that person to marry someone of inferior rank. Disparage derives from the Anglo-French word desparager, meaning "to marry below one's class." Desparager, in turn, combines the negative prefix des- with parage (meaning "equality" or "lineage"), which itself comes from per, meaning "peer." The original "marriage" sense of disparage is now obsolete, but a closely-related sense (meaning "to lower in rank or reputation") survives in modern English. By the 16th century, English speakers (including William Shakespeare) were also using disparage to mean simply "to belittle."

Synonyms

• bad-mouth
• belittle
• cry down
• decry
• denigrate
• deprecate
• depreciate
• derogate
• diminish
• dis [slang]
• diss
• discount
• dismiss
• kiss off
• minimize
• play down
• poor-mouth
• put down
• run down
• talk down
• trash
• trash-talk
• vilipend
• write off

Choose the Right Synonym for disparage

decry, depreciate, disparage, belittle mean to express a low opinion of.

decry implies open condemnation with intent to discredit.

decried their defeatist attitude

depreciate implies a representing as being of less value than commonly believed.

critics depreciate his plays for being unabashedly sentimental

disparage implies depreciation by indirect means such as slighting or invidious comparison.

disparaged polo as a game for the rich

belittle usually suggests a contemptuous or envious attitude.

belittled the achievements of others

Examples of disparage in a Sentence

Voters don't like political advertisements in which opponents disparage one another.

It's a mistake to disparage their achievements.

The article disparaged polo as a game for the wealthy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples Of How To Respond Here are a few examples of how to describe leaving an unhealthy company culture without disparaging your previous employer. —Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

All of them were supported at times by the Congress for Cultural Freedom, a transatlantic postwar organization secretly funded by the C.I.A., dedicated to promoting democracy and disparaging Communism—in short, spreading propaganda—through its support of highbrow art and intellectual journals. —Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024

In an apparent attempt to disparage the renewable energy transition, the post showcasing the image wrongly asserts the devastation was caused by mining for lithium – a key ingredient in electric car and grid storage batteries. —Kate S. Petersen, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2024

Drake, a proven mastermind in rap beef, has tangoed with Meek Mill, Pusha T and Kanye and said disparaging things. —Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to degrade by marriage below one's class, disparage, from Anglo-French desparager to marry below one's class, from des- dis- + parage equality, lineage, from per peer

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

disparage

verb

dis·​par·​age dis-ˈpar-ij 

disparaged; disparaging

1

: to lower in rank : degrade

2

: to speak of as unimportant or not much good : belittle

disparaged the performance

disparagement

-mənt 

noun

disparaging adjective

disparagingly

-ij-iŋ-lē 

adverb