vilify

verb

vil·​i·​fy ˈvi-lə-ˌfī 

vilified; vilifying

transitive verb

1

: to utter slanderous and abusive statements against : defame

2

: to lower in estimation or importance

vilifier

ˈvi-lə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Did you know?

Vilify came to English by way of the Middle English vilifien and the Late Latin vilificare, from the Latin adjective vilis, meaning "cheap" or "vile." It first appeared in English in the 15th century. Also debuting during that time was another verb that derives from vilis and has a similar meaning: vilipend. When they were first used in English, both vilify and vilipend meant to regard someone or something as being of little worth or importance. Vilipend now carries an additional meaning of "to express a low opinion of somebody," while vilify means, more specifically, to express such an opinion publicly in a way that intends to embarrass a person or ruin his or her reputation.

Synonyms

• asperse
• blacken
• calumniate
• defame
• libel
• malign
• slander
• smear
• traduce

Choose the Right Synonym for vilify

malign, traduce, asperse, vilify, calumniate, defame, slander mean to injure by speaking ill of.

malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.

the most maligned monarch in British history

traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.

so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.

both candidates aspersed the other's motives

vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.

no criminal was more vilified in the press

calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.

falsely calumniated as a traitor

defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.

sued them for defaming her reputation

slander stresses the suffering of the victim.

town gossips slandered their good name

Examples of vilify in a Sentence

He was vilified in the press for his comments.

claimed that she had been vilified by the press because of her conservative views

Recent Examples on the Web

If seed oils are unfairly vilified, the health properties of certain other oils get too much attention. —Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024

And, each time, he is vilified—first by militant AIDS activists, later by anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers, populist Republicans and libertarians, and a panoply of conspiracy theorists. —Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024

Christ reduced to a potato chip, debased and vilified like two thousand years ago. —John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024

Until his arrest in July, Boyne was notorious among the judiciary for posting venomous blog posts that used racist, antisemitic and homophobic terms to vilify judges and judicial appointees involved in divorce and custody cases. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vilifien, from Late Latin vilificare, from Latin vilis cheap, vile

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

vilify

verb

vil·​i·​fy ˈvil-ə-ˌfī 

vilified; vilifying

: to speak of as wicked

vilification

ˌvil-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən

noun

vilifier

ˈvil-ə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun