Synonyms of denigrate

denigrate

verb

ˈde-ni-ˌgrāt 

as in to dismiss

to express scornfully one's low opinion of

theater critics have been denigrating her acting ability for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dismiss
• minimize
• diminish
• criticize
• disparage
• belittle
• derogate
• decry
• deprecate
• denounce
• discount
• condemn
• depreciate
• run down
• bad-mouth
• dislike
• talk down
• dump on
• write off
• discredit
• play down
• trash-talk
• cry down
• scold
• trash
• poor-mouth
• dis
• kiss off
• put down
• vilipend
• vilify
• abuse
• malign
• defame
• disapprove (of)
• slander
• disgrace
• discommend
• censure
• traduce
• slur
• rip
• reprobate
• asperse
• reprehend

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• applaud
• exalt
• praise
• glorify
• extol
• magnify
• approve
• recommend
• endorse
• favor
• laud
• sanction
• commend
• countenance
• acclaim
• compliment
• eulogize

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of denigrate

Some of the reason for this is rooted in a foreign influence campaign designed to denigrate America’s artificial intelligence dominance so that China, in particular, can dominate the technology and jobs of the future. — Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2026

Excluded from jobs and housing, some of these new arrivals had turned to Islam as a welcoming alternative to the white society that denigrated them. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

For an administration that famously denigrates Chicago, Friday was a notably good day for federal money for the city’s historic status as a rail hub. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Jason Arday, a neurodivergent Black Cambridge professor who was feted as a wunderkind by some and denigrated as a fabulist by others, resigned earlier this month amidst accusations of plagiarism. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026

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