disparage

verb

dis·par·age | \ di-ˈsper-ij

, -ˈspa-rij\

disparaged; disparaging

Definition of disparage

1 : to depreciate (see depreciate sense 1) by indirect means (such as invidious comparison) : speak slightingly about religious beliefs disparaged as superstition

2 : to lower in rank or reputation : degrade

Other Words from disparage Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about disparage

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Choose the Right Synonym for disparage

decry, depreciate, disparage, belittle mean to express a low opinion of. decry implies open condemnation with intent to discredit. decried their defeatist attitude depreciate implies a representing as being of less value than commonly believed. critics depreciate his plays for being unabashedly sentimental disparage implies depreciation by indirect means such as slighting or invidious comparison. disparaged polo as a game for the rich belittle usually suggests a contemptuous or envious attitude. belittled the achievements of others

Did You Know?

In Middle English, to disparage someone meant causing that person to marry someone of inferior rank. Disparage derives from the Anglo-French word desparager, meaning "to marry below one's class." Desparager, in turn, combines the negative prefix des- with parage ("equality" or "lineage"), which itself comes from per, meaning "peer." The original "marriage" sense of disparage is now obsolete, but a closely-related sense ("to lower in rank or reputation") survives in modern English. By the 16th century, English speakers (including Shakespeare) were also using disparage to mean simply "to belittle."

Examples of disparage in a Sentence

Voters don't like political advertisements in which opponents disparage one another. It's a mistake to disparage their achievements. The article disparaged polo as a game for the wealthy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Amid all the other catastrophes in the United Kingdom right now, Prince Harry found the time to apparently disparage Fortnite. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: Borderlands 3 is an Epic exclusive, Obsidian shows off The Outer Worlds," 5 Apr. 2019 Another shows that the IRA disparaged Clinton in nearly all of its social media pages on every platform, regardless of whether the page targeted conservatives, liberals, or racial and ethnic groups. — Alex Ward, Vox, "4 main takeaways from new reports on Russia’s 2016 election interference," 17 Dec. 2018 According to the lawsuit, Phillips would also refuse to make a cake that is disparaging to the gay community. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Fox News, "Colorado baker sues state, claims it's 'punishing' him for religious beliefs despite Supreme Court ruling," 15 Aug. 2018 Trump has reportedly also made comments disparaging poor countries. — Chris Chavez, SI.com, "Report: Anti-U.S. Sentiment Could Put USA’s Joint 2026 World Cup Bid in Danger," 28 Feb. 2018 At issue, President Trump's comments disparaging immigrants from Haiti and Africa. Democrats were quick to condemn. SEN. — NBC News, "Meet the Press - January 14, 2018," 14 Jan. 2018 Mystery and suspense fiction, along with police procedurals and crime fiction in general, often are disparaged as a second-rate literary form for their overreliance on action-heavy plot. — Maureen Corrigan, The Seattle Times, "Fans of Tana French are in for a surprise with ‘The Witch Elm’," 23 Oct. 2018 Williams sings an aggressive style of homegrown Chicago rap called drill rap, in which rappers disparage other rappers and gangs. — Michael Tarm, The Seattle Times, "Police try to prevent retaliation after Chicago rapper shot," 23 Oct. 2018 On the sidelines waits the mop-haired Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who profanely disparaged May’s Brexit plans as a big pile of excrement before agreeing to support her. — William Booth And Karla Adam, Washington Post, "Theresa May’s government in disarray after shock resignation by Brexit minister," 9 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disparage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.