DENIGRATION Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

denigration

noun

Definition of denigration

as in defamation

the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant the unfair denigration of the social sciences by some people in the natural sciences

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of denigration For me, this marks an early moment in the denigration of women. — Eana Kim, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Nowhere is there the vitriol or denigration found in MAGA gatherings. — Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026 From the start, the denigration of the Iranian monarchy was at the center of the Islamic Republic’s official ideology. — Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026 Trump is, of course, a man whose rise to power has been fueled by his denigration of people for being animal-like. — Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026 The human costs of this are the increasing rates of illnesses and the financial costs of health care, lost productivity, and the compounding problems of further environmental denigration. — Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for denigration

Noun

Kessler dismissed Nallasivan’s defamation claim as untimely and tossed out his blacklisting claim for lack of sufficient evidence.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026
While the network agreed to a $15 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump in 2024, Zick said losing broadcast licenses would undoubtedly be more costly in the end.

— BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of defamation

Noun

Vucic has pushed hard against the protesters as the government faced international criticism over police violence and arbitrary detentions of demonstrators.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
His political interests would be served if Republicans were to stop attacking Carlson and if Carlson were to tone down his criticism of the GOP.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of criticism

Noun

That drew condemnation in the volatile region that remains ethnically divided more than three decades after the war, which started when Bosnia's Serbs took control over swaths of the country's territory to form their own state.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Police shot at an unarmed crowd protesting apartheid pass laws on March 21, 1960, and drew international condemnation.

— Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of condemnation

Noun

Iamaleava could have allowed the disparagement to compound, but the starting signal-caller is using it as fuel for a 2026 season where many have the Bruins painted as a potential dark horse.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Her mother, meanwhile, is backed up by her second husband (Kwon), a mild-mannered documentary filmmaker whose profession gives his wife yet more ammunition in her smiling disparagement of Sanghee.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of disparagement

Noun

Before Saylor Hayes’ parents were arrested in connection with the 5-year-old girl’s death this week, the couple had been charged with child abuse and had a history of drug use, court documents show.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
McManus, 50, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor child abuse, officials said.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of abuse

Noun

During Season 10, a newly confident Batula — who seemed to despise Cooke from the first minute of the premiere episode — appeared to be poised to launch a triumphant post-divorce arc, free at last from Cooke’s belittlement and verbal abuse.

— Kate Aurthur, Variety, 29 June 2026
Apolline may embrace the social media aspects of her career but George’s belittlement rankles her.

— Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2025

Definition of belittlement

Noun

And the depreciation of the naira currency has seen the dollar value of company revenues fall within the period.

— Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Her tax returns show $60,000 a year in net income after depreciation, vehicle costs, and a warehouse write-off, a figure no conventional lender can stretch into a Miami purchase.

— Karen Koehler, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of depreciation

Noun

While returning to Southern California brought the Bruins’ starting quarterback closer to his roots and family, the social media ridicule chased him cross-country, targeting not just him, but his parents too.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize before the tournament began, a decision which triggered widespread ridicule across the world.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of ridicule

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“Denigration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denigration. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of denigration

noun

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