as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
the reviewer used the pejorative word "versifier" to refer to the writer, whose poems had struck a responsive chord with the general public
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pejorative
In domestic economic policy, trickle-down economics has become a pejorative term.
—
Timothy Meyer, Foreign Affairs, 26 June 2018
Video clips — altered in some instances — together with other visual and audio clips presented out of context have led to inappropriate clinical diagnoses and pejorative terms being used to characterize the opponents.
—Anand Kumar, STAT, 25 June 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story innumerable times and criticizing the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 8 May 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story in a book and on television and criticizing and the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pejorative 
Timothy Meyer, Foreign Affairs, 26 June 2018
Video clips — altered in some instances — together with other visual and audio clips presented out of context have led to inappropriate clinical diagnoses and pejorative terms being used to characterize the opponents.
—Anand Kumar, STAT, 25 June 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story innumerable times and criticizing the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 8 May 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story in a book and on television and criticizing and the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pejorative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pejorative
Adjective
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The positive media coverage of Thomas was the insulting cherry on top of the situation for Estabrook.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
12 Feb. 2025
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The crude and insulting attacks Democratic lawmakers have leveled at President Donald Trump and Elon Musk threaten to drive away voters who want the party to work with the new president to cut wasteful spending.—
Paul Bedard,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The term Mace used is considered derogatory, defamatory and dehumanizing for transgender people according to GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA TODAY,
6 Feb. 2025
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And yet, Davis’s slight still hits different (derogatory).—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
refinery29.com,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Maloof is suing the city of Palm Bay, the Palm Bay Police Department and the officer on claims including malicious prosecution and false arrest.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The principal accused him of disrupting his Middleborough Middle School and of demeaning LGBTQ students.—
Lauren Green,
Fox News,
28 Jan. 2025
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Her mother, a day laborer who had to leave school at age 10 to work, cleaned houses under the demeaning conditions of the Jim Crow era: Butler sometimes accompanied her mom on the job, where they were required to enter homes through back doors.—
Stephen Kearse,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
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Prior to appearing on Cunningham's show on Monday, Huggins made more disparaging remarks about Xavier.—
Emily DeLetter,
The Enquirer,
10 May 2023
Adjective
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This subsided with unusual speed, however, as cricket fans took instead to sharing the self-deprecatory jokes coming over the border.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
22 June 2019
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Philipps has acquired her 1-million-and-growing Instagram followers through her self-deprecatory humor, raw honesty and vulnerability.—
Sonja Haller,
USA TODAY,
11 July 2018
Adjective
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Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE.com,
21 Jan. 2022
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Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.—
Lorraine Mirabella,
Baltimore Sun,
29 July 2022
Adjective
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The arguments Republicans have made in their opposition to Joe Biden’s contemptuous pardons are pretty compelling.—
Noah Rothman,
National Review,
21 Jan. 2025
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Written by Fielding, Richard Naylor and Jon Brittain, the series followed the contemptuous life of the 18th-century highwayman, known in York, England, as a thief, poacher and killer but whose exploits have been widely romanticized in modern culture.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to pejorative
Thesaurus Entries Near pejorative
Cite this Entry
“Pejorative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pejorative. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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