as in criticisms
an unfair criticism or false accusation meant to damage another's reputation
Let's keep the debate focused on the issues and try to avoid casting aspersions on one another. I don't mean to cast aspersions on his integrity, but I'm not sure I'd trust him with the money.
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Recent Examples of aspersions
Amid aspersions and attack ads, the pair nearly came to blows at a community debate.
—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Not Calvin Klein casting gay aspersions!
—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
But in the end, their stories were deeper than the aspersions cast upon them.
—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
And in mid-century America, there were so many aspersions to be cast!
—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Their online parlance is punctuated by empty enthusiasms, vicious aspersions, and obvious hypocrisies that rarely matter.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Not Calvin Klein casting gay aspersions!
—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
But in the end, their stories were deeper than the aspersions cast upon them.
—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
And in mid-century America, there were so many aspersions to be cast!
—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Their online parlance is punctuated by empty enthusiasms, vicious aspersions, and obvious hypocrisies that rarely matter.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspersions
Noun
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The negative shift in 'cynicism's' meaning is largely attributed to the historical lens of Plato's criticisms, as Antisthenes' own writings are scarce.
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But advocates for survivors say there’s ample evidence of failures at high levels, even beyond Guidepost's criticisms of the Executive Committee.
Noun
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One of the victims was shot multiple times with blow darts and had to undergo surgery, according to police.
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After briefly losing his pro status in 2024, van Dongen returned to Q-School and regained his pro card, despite battling hand issues that prevented him from being able to grip his darts.
Noun
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Financial transactions, credential sharing, file sharing, executive instructions and vendor relationships are at risk due to AI attacks.
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Two people were killed and seven others injured in Russian attacks on the northeastern Kharkiv region over the previous 24 hours, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Friday.
Noun
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Believing our conduct improper, the villagers began to make insinuations.
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But whatever one thinks of Massie’s anti-Israel activism and anti-Jewish insinuations, neither was the reason he was excised.
Noun
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Phaedra, not new to this rodeo, urges them to name names and put it all on the table.
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The pair changed their names around that time.
Noun
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In recent weeks, Avila Chevalier has been under a microscope for her past tweets, including posts calling for defunding the police and abolishing the border, alongside harsh insults of big-name Democrats such as former Vice President Kamala Harris.
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Michael Lind, the writer and New America co-founder, argues in Commonplace, the magazine of Oren Cass’s American Compass, that a decent wage and a safety net should be enough, and that handing workers a stake in capital insults the dignity of their labor.
Cite this Entry
“Aspersions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspersions. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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