depreciation

the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant a depreciation of the role of minorities in the building of the nation was once a common feature of history books Synonyms belittlement, denigration, deprecation, derogation, detraction, diminishment, disparagement, put-down Related Words aspersion, backbiting, calumny, defamation, libel, slander, vilification; derision, mockery, ridicule; abuse, invective, vituperation; censure, condemnation, criticism, denouncement, denunciation; de-emphasis, minimization, soft-pedaling Near Antonyms acclaim, praise; approbation, approval, blessing, commendation; hype, puffery Antonyms aggrandizement, ennoblement, exaltation, glorification, magnification