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denigrative

adjective

Definition of denigrativenext
as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value thanked her for the gift and then added the denigrative aside, "Not that it's anything special!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for denigrative
  1. insulting
  2. malicious
  3. critical
  4. degrading
  5. abusive
  6. demeaning
  7. contemptuous
  8. derogatory
Adjective
  • Some job seekers say AI interviews can feel impersonal, stilted, and downright insulting.
    — Sarah Jackson Juhohn Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Even more insulting was the cold, transactional nature of the intrusion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of insulting
Adjective
  • According to Microsoft, cybercriminals commonly embed QR codes with malicious URLs directly in the body of emails or within attachments.
    — Benjamin Claeys, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Owen McIntire, 20, of Parkville, faces one count of malicious destruction of property and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device for the March 2025 incident.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • America is at a critical crossroads for the type of future in store beyond issues of affordability, groceries and gas prices due to global conflicts.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Numerous books written by women who fled the FLDS community provide autobiographical and critical accounts of the group.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of critical
Adjective
  • At Fuerte Guaicaipuro, a military facility, investigators documented detainees being confined in pit-like cells dug below ground level and subjected to cold, food deprivation and other degrading treatment.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The beating can look degrading, but the check might protect opportunities for hundreds of athletes who never appear in the game.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of degrading
Adjective
  • Leaving an abusive situation is already incredibly difficult.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The show not only plays Manchester’s death for laughs but also depicts her as physically abusive and exploitative of Sullivan.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of abusive
Adjective
  • Leeman also said the jury was denied the full context of Allen’s time in solitary confinement, such as the audio depicting demeaning and extreme behavior.
    — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Chanen is among a new generation of wives and girlfriends of pro athletes, aka WAGs, who have proudly reclaimed the once-demeaning term.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of demeaning
Adjective
  • Below the surface, there is a lot of contemptuous finger-pointing about where the anti-AI energy now coursing through the political-media landscape is coming from.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Relative to the contemptuous silence of the Mike Ashley regime, there is no comparison — but even when compared to previous post-takeover administrations, Newcastle are being more communicative.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of contemptuous
Adjective
  • The Webster Wallace profile is responsible for several other derogatory posts about the mayor, as well.
    — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham also issued an apology in November to BYU and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for derogatory chants by fans during the Bearcats’ game against the Cougars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of derogatory
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.

Browse Nearby Words

denigrations
denigrative
denigrator
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Denigrative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denigrative. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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