discredit

1 to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes attempted to discredit her political opponents by deliberately spreading false rumors Synonyms abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, humble, disgrace, dishonor, foul, humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, take downRelated Words abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle; belittle, castigate, criticize, cry down, decry, depreciate, detract, diminish, discount, disparage, minimize, put down, ridicule, write off; bad-mouth, defame, defile, libel, malign, slander; affront, insult; censure, condemn, damn, denounce, execrate, reprehend, reprobateNear Antonyms acclaim, applaud, boast, celebrate, cheer, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate, eulogize, extol (also extoll), fete (or fête), hail, honor, laud, praise, salute, tout; acknowledge, recognize; highlight, play up, spotlight; dignify, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify; advance, boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift; idealize, romanticizeAntonyms aggrandize, canonize, deify, elevate, exalt

2 to think not to be true or real I discredit the story that the old inn is haunted Synonyms disbelieve, negateRelated Words deny, reject, repudiate; distrust, doubt, mistrust, suspect; debunk, disprove, refute; deride, pooh-pooh (also pooh), scoff (at)Near Antonyms trustAntonyms accept, believe, credit, swallow

3 to prove to be false the pseudoscience of phrenology has been thoroughly discredited Synonyms belie, confound, confute, debunk, disconfirm, disprove, falsify, rebut, refute, shoot downRelated Words overthrow, overturn; challenge, contest, query, question; doubt, mistrust; debate, discuss, hash (over), moot, talk overNear Antonyms document, evidence, evince, record, show, support, witness; back (up), buttress, corroborate, substantiate; adduce, attest, authenticate, certify, identify; demonstrate, display, illustrate, manifestAntonyms confirm, establish, prove, validate, verify