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
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Recent Examples of derogatory
Robinson appeared pleased with the compliment, but his response included a derogatory term.
—
Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Advertisement Cincinnati’s athletic director John Cunningham has since apologized for the offensive, derogatory, and dangerous cheer.
—Brandi Hicken, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
The speech was billed as an event to sell his economic agenda, but quickly devolved into a campaign-style speech filled with derogatory insults.
—Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2025
In the video, the worker is heard saying the n-word, admitted to being racist, and continued making derogatory comments.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derogatory
Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Advertisement Cincinnati’s athletic director John Cunningham has since apologized for the offensive, derogatory, and dangerous cheer.
—Brandi Hicken, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
The speech was billed as an event to sell his economic agenda, but quickly devolved into a campaign-style speech filled with derogatory insults.
—Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2025
In the video, the worker is heard saying the n-word, admitted to being racist, and continued making derogatory comments.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derogatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derogatory
Adjective
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Many researchers cite those exact words as insulting or wrong when asked about their own terminations.—
STAT Staff,
STAT,
29 Dec. 2025
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With two toddlers and a 10-hour workday for her husband, the advice was more insulting than helpful.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, is a pejorative Venezuelan term for corrupt figures in the armed forces who take money from drug traffickers; the name is a reference to the sun insignia on their uniforms.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
26 Nov. 2025
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Wales Bonner also gave the shoe a suede high-top makeover, and AVAVAV turned it into a clown shoe in a non-pejorative sense.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
21 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Bruce was praised by fellow members of the White House press corps for asking important questions despite the president’s demeaning comments.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
21 Nov. 2025
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In a post dripping with arrogance, Lynch dished out demeaning nicknames for her recent opponents.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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For many of Modi’s supporters, Mamdani’s rhetoric is seen as a malicious attack on the country’s majority religion.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Conservative pundit Meghan McCain blasted commentator Tucker Carlson after a guest on his podcast and online show this week made a disparaging remark about her weight.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
5 Dec. 2025
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Emily’s father didn’t say it in a disparaging way—more like That was just Ryan.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Sheriff Guidroz said the three inmates removed blocks from a degrading wall in the prison to create a hole, and used sheets to assist them in climbing down a wall and dropping to the ground.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
7 Dec. 2025
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The safety alert also offered guidance to students on recognizing possible hazing, including coercion, unsafe or degrading activities, or tasks presented as mandatory for joining a group.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Derogatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derogatory. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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