VILIFY Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'vilify' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vilify are asperse , calumniate , defame , malign , slander , and traduce . While all these words mean "to injure by speaking ill of," vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse. // no criminal was more vilified in the press

Q: Where would 'asperse' be a reasonable alternative to 'vilify'?

The synonyms asperse and vilify are sometimes interchangeable, but asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction. // both candidates aspersed the other's motives

Q: When is 'calumniate' a more appropriate choice than 'vilify'?

While the synonyms calumniate and vilify are close in meaning, calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions. // falsely calumniated as a traitor

Q: When would 'defame' be a good substitute for 'vilify'?

Although the words defame and vilify have much in common, defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name. // sued them for defaming her reputation

Q: When could 'malign' be used to replace 'vilify'?

The words malign and vilify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying. // the most maligned monarch in British history

Q: When might 'slander' be a better fit than 'vilify'?

The meanings of slander and vilify largely overlap; however, slander stresses the suffering of the victim. // town gossips slandered their good name

Q: When can 'traduce' be used instead of 'vilify'?

While in some cases nearly identical to vilify , traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim. // so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

vilify

verb

ˈvi-lə-ˌfī

Definition of vilify next

as in to libel

to make untrue and harmful statements about claimed that she had been vilified by the press because of her conservative views

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How does the verb vilify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vilify are asperse, calumniate, defame, malign, slander, and traduce. While all these words mean "to injure by speaking ill of," vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.

no criminal was more vilified in the press

Where would asperse be a reasonable alternative to vilify?

The synonyms asperse and vilify are sometimes interchangeable, but asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.

both candidates aspersed the other's motives

When is calumniate a more appropriate choice than vilify?

While the synonyms calumniate and vilify are close in meaning, calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.

falsely calumniated as a traitor

When would defame be a good substitute for vilify?

Although the words defame and vilify have much in common, defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.

sued them for defaming her reputation

When could malign be used to replace vilify?

The words malign and vilify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.

the most maligned monarch in British history

When might slander be a better fit than vilify?

The meanings of slander and vilify largely overlap; however, slander stresses the suffering of the victim.

town gossips slandered their good name

When can traduce be used instead of vilify?

While in some cases nearly identical to vilify, traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.

so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

Examples of vilify in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That vilified a large number of people who worked legally in the community of Springfield. —

Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 1 Oct. 2024 In some quarters of our society, there seems to be an eagerness to vilify great—though humanly imperfect—historical figures who have long represented praiseworthy contributions to our nation’s success. —

Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 Carreira is not interested in vilifying individuals but in teasing out the inhumanity of working conditions that grind people down little by little. —

Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2024 But having left government in 2022, Doctor Fauci, who was both lionized and vilified as the nation’s spokesperson during the Covid crisis, is free to speak in his own voice about his personal experiences. —

Steven Levy, WIRED, 25 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for vilify

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vilify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.