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
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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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There would be nothing more insulting to our democracy, and to the memory of those who died in connection to that day, than letting rioters walk free.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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This disastrous budget is even more insulting as Los Angeles County grapples with the devastation from four major fires.—
Bill Essayli,
Orange County Register,
11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In his recent lawsuit against the Gossip Girl actress, Justin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively of allegedly making derogatory comments about his nose.—
Caroline Bell,
StyleCaster,
23 Jan. 2025
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As a coach who works with thousands of Gen Z (and Gen Alpha) folks each year, my experience of these generations defies derogatory stereotypes that many believe.—
Chris Westfall,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Ultimately, the debate over the ability of malicious hackers to trigger a continent-wide blackout is moot and a distraction from the issue that really matters.—
Dan Goodin,
Ars Technica,
23 Jan. 2025
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Android users can also keep Google Play Protect enabled to scan for malicious code—even on sideloaded apps.—
Kate Irwin,
PCMAG,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Many of the jobs available to young and inexperienced workers are entry-level roles in the retail, restaurant and service industries, and these jobs are often talked about in a demeaning way.—
Brandon Busteed,
Forbes,
14 Dec. 2024
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Residents suddenly realized that Trump’s demeaning rhetoric about Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants could extend to them.—
Julia Preston,
The New Yorker,
30 Nov. 2024
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
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Cite this Entry
“Pejorative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pejorative. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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