derogative

adjective

Definition of derogativenext
as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value used a common derogative word for lawyers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for derogative
  1. insulting
  2. derogatory
  3. pejorative
  4. demeaning
  5. malicious
  6. disparaging
  7. uncomplimentary
  8. deprecatory
Adjective
  • His short, curt answers, or nonanswers are comedy for some, arrogant or insulting to others, especially when fans want an explanation for one of his decisions.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But to propose trading him for anything short of a fourth-round pick is insulting.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of insulting
Adjective
  • In a March 2025 letter to the parents, district Human Resources Director Amie Maya said the probe found evidence of a derogatory comment that did not align with board policy prohibiting abusive language against students.
    — Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Watermelon imagery has a long history of use in derogatory racial stereotypes against Black Americans.
    — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of derogatory
Adjective
  • The designation carries strong pejorative connotations in the country and can bring additional government scrutiny.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • It was labeled a foreign agent, a designation that carries strong pejorative connotations and implies additional government scrutiny.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of pejorative
Adjective
  • Her personnel file also showed three decades worth of complaints about her hostile and demeaning behavior to colleagues and parents.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Even a mandate as simple as removing racist or demeaning school mascots has depended more on districts’ voluntary compliance than force.
    — David Bloomfield, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of demeaning
Adjective
  • Disrupting the servers used to control malware doesn't automatically remove malicious firmware from devices already sitting in people's homes.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The operation was sophisticated, involving fake job interviews and malicious code.
    — Joel Breakstone, Contributor,Nadav Ziv, Contributor, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • Felix points to Trump’s disparaging and false comments against Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, which put a target on the back of many Haitian immigrants.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The irony is that Trump has been more disparaging and dismissive of the military than any other president.
    — Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of disparaging
Adjective
  • Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.
    — Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 29 July 2022
  • Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.
    — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE.com, 21 Jan. 2022
Definition of uncomplimentary
Adjective
  • This subsided with unusual speed, however, as cricket fans took instead to sharing the self-deprecatory jokes coming over the border.
    — The Economist, The Economist, 22 June 2019
  • Philipps has acquired her 1-million-and-growing Instagram followers through her self-deprecatory humor, raw honesty and vulnerability.
    — Sonja Haller, USA TODAY, 11 July 2018
Definition of deprecatory
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

derogations
derogative
derogatory
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Cite this Entry

“Derogative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derogative. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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