derogatory

adjective

di-ˈrä-gə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce derogatory (audio)
Definition of derogatorynext
as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value fans made a steady stream of derogatory remarks about the players on the visiting team

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 derogatory Saar equipped an Aunt Jemima Black mammy figurine with a rifle alongside her broom, and placed a derogatory postcard in front of it featuring another Black mammy with a mulatto child. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026 Silvia Federici, a longtime feminist writer, thinker and professor, said that gossip's derogatory transformation reflected societal shifts. — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 16 July 2026 Trump has repeatedly made derogatory and racist comments about immigrants, including calling them criminals and falsely saying that Haitians eat cats and dogs. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026 The Kansas Young Republicans organization disbanded last fall after POLITICO released a trove of racist and derogatory messages exchanged in a group chat between young GOP members in four states. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for derogatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derogatory
  1. insulting
  2. pejorative
  3. demeaning
  4. malicious
  5. disparaging
  6. uncomplimentary
  7. degrading
  8. deprecatory
Adjective
  • At the end of the last cruise, everyone shunned me, except for Roy, who instead was cruel and insulting to me.
    — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This struck Stevens and her allies as immature, insulting, and more than a little sexist.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of insulting
Adjective
  • Calling something a white wine thriller could be interpreted as pejorative, if not sexist.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
  • And of course, didn’t have any pejorative meaning at all then.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of pejorative
Adjective
  • The consulting partner who learned precision was never demeaning.
    — Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The league is clearly consumed by athletes with bigoted, demeaning views of white women.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of demeaning
Adjective
  • This will likely not be the last time US courts see the malicious tactic, as AI tools become more commonplace in court systems.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After all, an agent could accept a URL and download a malicious package without its human user even knowing.
    — David Berreby, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Aug. 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
  • By suggesting that Black women would willingly place their own children in mortal danger for profit, such narratives provided yet another means of humiliating, degrading and dehumanizing African Americans.
    — The Conversation, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
  • With fracking — which is already outlawed on offshore platforms in California waters, and is widely viewed as an environmentally degrading and often risky process — Gilda’s production would jump to about 4,000 barrels a day.
    — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of degrading
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

Browse Nearby Words

derogative
derogatory
derriere
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Cite this Entry

“Derogatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derogatory. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on derogatory

Nglish: Translation of derogatory for Spanish Speakers

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