aspersion
noun
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Aspersion Did Not Always Have Negative Connotations
"No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall / To make this contract grow." In this line from Shakespeare's The Tempest, aspersion literally refers to a sprinkling of rain, but figuratively means "blessing." Shakespeare's use is true to the heritage of the term: aspersion comes from the Latin word aspersus, a form of the verb aspergere, which means "to sprinkle" or "to scatter." When aspersion first appeared in English in the 16th century, it referred to the type of sprinklings (for instance, of holy water) that occur in religious ceremonies. But English speakers noted that splatters can soil and stain, and it wasn’t long before aspersion was also being used for reports that stain or tarnish a reputation.
Examples of aspersion in a Sentence
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
The entire point of declaring some rock cool is to cast further aspersions on the actual popular rock bands at the time.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
Any aspersions for the prevalence of fake Louis Vuitton should be cast on Canal Street in New York, not in France.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Even as China’s coercive capabilities and threatening behavior have rightly focused U.S. attention on the risks to American interests, the absence of clear metrics for success leaves the door open for partisan aspersions of the Biden administration’s approach.
—Jessica Chen Weiss, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for aspersion
Cite this Entry
“Aspersion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspersion. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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aspersion
noun
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