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
This is not to denigrate Slot’s predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, an Anfield legend who brought the club unparalleled success in the Premier League era and over a far longer period of time than the Dutchman has worked on Merseyside.
—
Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
World & Nation Why has North Korea sent troops to help Russia fight Ukraine?
Nov. 1, 2024
Trump’s election victory in November sent tremors of dread across Ukraine, where people had closely tracked his campaign-trail commentary denigrating billions of dollars in crucial Western assistance to Kyiv.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Still, Johnson opted to publicly denigrate and undermine the attention that Clark gets in the CNN interview.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2024
Importantly, Smee contributes to a recent reconsideration of Morisot, who for too long was denigrated for painting women, girls, and domestic interiors.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for denigrate 
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Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
World & Nation Why has North Korea sent troops to help Russia fight Ukraine?
Nov. 1, 2024
Trump’s election victory in November sent tremors of dread across Ukraine, where people had closely tracked his campaign-trail commentary denigrating billions of dollars in crucial Western assistance to Kyiv.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Still, Johnson opted to publicly denigrate and undermine the attention that Clark gets in the CNN interview.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2024
Importantly, Smee contributes to a recent reconsideration of Morisot, who for too long was denigrated for painting women, girls, and domestic interiors.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for denigrate
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Dictionary Entries Near denigrate
Cite this Entry
“Denigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denigrate. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
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