derogatory
adjective
Herman Melville
Did you know?
What is a derogatory Credit Report?
When derogatory first began to be used in English it had the meaning “detracting from the character or standing of something.” It comes from the verb derogate, which can be traced to the Latin word derogare (“to detract” or “to annul (a law)”). Derogatory quickly took on the additional meaning “disdainful, disparaging,” as may be seen in the word’s frequent use in “derogatory comment.” Derogatory is increasingly seen today in credit reports, although it should not be taken as a credit card company making unkind comments on the character of the cardholder. In this context it refers to something (such as a late payment, foreclosure, or bankruptcy) that will have a negative effect on a person’s credit score.
Examples of derogatory in a Sentence
Danny May et al., Berkshire Home Style, March 2007
In Powell's memoir, Lemann points out, terms like "expert" and "academic" are clearly derogatory.
—Franklin Foer, New Republic, 5 Feb. 2001
Unfortunately, the codes were badly explained and ham-handedly enforced. At Michigan an interpretive guide called "What Students Should Know … " went beyond the scope of the actual code in saying that even a derogatory comment … would be punished by the university.
—Laurence R. Stains, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 1993
fans made a steady stream of derogatory remarks about the players on the visiting team
Sam Blum, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
In a May 2025 interview with the Daily Mail, Davis denied talking about his political views or using derogatory language around Stause.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Much of the evidence against the defendants consists of social media posts claiming Brigitte Macron is a man, often with derogatory language.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, the Young Republican National Federation called for the immediate resignations of leaders in the organization exposed in a Politico story to have sent racist, antisemitic and other derogatory text messages to one another in a private chat.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derogatory
Cite this Entry
“Derogatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derogatory. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
derogatory
adjective
Share