as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
disparaging comments about the lack of talent among the musical performers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dismissing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
disparaged polo as a sport for the idle rich
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 disparaging
Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.
—Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Prior to appearing on Cunningham's show on Monday, Huggins made more disparaging remarks about Xavier.
—Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 10 May 2023
As a former prosecutor in New York City and a professor of law at West Point, Tim Bakken believes that most people find solace in casting the most disparaging label possible upon an adversary.
—Howard Manly, The Conversation, 20 Dec. 2022
Scam victims could be called innocent to the misdeeds of the net, but being deemed gullible is the more disparaging and stubborn charge.
—Hannah Zeavin, Harper’s Magazine , 22 June 2022
Will Smith was given the Golden Raspberry Awards’ lone non-disparaging prize, with Smith earning the Redeemer Award after landing an actual Oscar nod for his role in King RIchard; Nicolas Cage and Jamie Dornan were also considered for the quasi-honor.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2022
Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Three officers later pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial of either conspiracy or civil rights violations, while dozens of officers were placed on leave amid the discovery of years-long text exchanges that made frequent use of disparaging language in reference to Black people.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Soon, the attacks escalated into more personal territory, with Minaj throwing disparaging comments about Cardi B’s pregnancy, and mentioning her children explicitly.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
Despite a disparaging 1-3 start to the year for Florida, SEC Network’s College GameDay equivalent, SEC Nation, set up camp in GainesvilleSaturday.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025
The video also dubs Schumer saying disparaging things about his party.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
The alleged gunman, an Iraq war veteran who had made disparaging comments about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the weeks before, drove his vehicle into the chapel, opened fire on congregants, and then set the building on fire.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
At Clemson University, that scrutiny fell on three staff members who are alleged to have posted disparaging comments about Kirk on social media.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
One of the most recent cases includes the high court’s 2017 decision in Matal v Tam, in which the justices ruled that a law preventing trademarks of disparaging terms was unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
And there would be lots of soldiers around, either Army or National Guard, and the people who were civilians would be young people, very disparaging about the military.
—Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.
—Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Prior to appearing on Cunningham's show on Monday, Huggins made more disparaging remarks about Xavier.
—Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 10 May 2023
As a former prosecutor in New York City and a professor of law at West Point, Tim Bakken believes that most people find solace in casting the most disparaging label possible upon an adversary.
—Howard Manly, The Conversation, 20 Dec. 2022
Scam victims could be called innocent to the misdeeds of the net, but being deemed gullible is the more disparaging and stubborn charge.
—Hannah Zeavin, Harper’s Magazine , 22 June 2022
Will Smith was given the Golden Raspberry Awards’ lone non-disparaging prize, with Smith earning the Redeemer Award after landing an actual Oscar nod for his role in King RIchard; Nicolas Cage and Jamie Dornan were also considered for the quasi-honor.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2022
Verb
The texts, verified by Politico through multiple participants, also show Ingrassia using slurs and disparaging remarks toward Black and Asian people, as well as expressing admiration for controversial far-right figures.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Three officers later pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial of either conspiracy or civil rights violations, while dozens of officers were placed on leave amid the discovery of years-long text exchanges that made frequent use of disparaging language in reference to Black people.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Soon, the attacks escalated into more personal territory, with Minaj throwing disparaging comments about Cardi B’s pregnancy, and mentioning her children explicitly.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
Despite a disparaging 1-3 start to the year for Florida, SEC Network’s College GameDay equivalent, SEC Nation, set up camp in GainesvilleSaturday.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025
The video also dubs Schumer saying disparaging things about his party.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
The alleged gunman, an Iraq war veteran who had made disparaging comments about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the weeks before, drove his vehicle into the chapel, opened fire on congregants, and then set the building on fire.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
At Clemson University, that scrutiny fell on three staff members who are alleged to have posted disparaging comments about Kirk on social media.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
One of the most recent cases includes the high court’s 2017 decision in Matal v Tam, in which the justices ruled that a law preventing trademarks of disparaging terms was unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disparaging
Verb
-
But Cortes last week cited the trio’s lack of a criminal record, willingness to pay restitution and their voluntary participation in community service in dismissing the charges.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
His team plans to argue for dismissing the charges.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
To educate all of them in similar ways is insulting, and silly.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Perkins said the drink bore the insulting message.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Sustainable gardening is an environmentally friendly approach that protects the earth and its inhabitants by mimicking natural ecosystems, minimizing waste and conserving resources.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the Young Republican National Federation called for the immediate resignations of leaders in the organization exposed in a Politico story to have sent racist, antisemitic and other derogatory text messages to one another in a private chat.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The Kansas Young Republicans organization was deactivated on Tuesday following an investigation by Politico into a trove of racist and derogatory messages exchanged in a group chat between young GOP members in four states.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Additionally, the invading trees and shrubs also compete with prairie plants for light, water, and space, often pushing the grassland plants out of the way and diminishing the habitat options available to animals that depend on native plants.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Survey participants said reasons for the diminishing access included affordability, fears about not being taken seriously or the potential for involuntary hospitalization, the survey said.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
What once was aberrant—indeed, unimaginable—is now standard Trump fare, demeaning not only to the Presidency but to the rule of law.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
-
For decades, Indigenous leaders and advocates across the state and country have been trying to convince school communities that the use of such mascots and logos are inappropriate, demeaning and harmful.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of criticizing yourself for not following through, get curious.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Trump has argued the White House needs a large entertaining space, criticizing the past practice of presidents hosting state dinners and other large events in tents on the South Lawn.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Charles Rolsky, executive director and senior research scientist at the Shaw Institute, a nonprofit focusing on the links between environmental and human health, says that many studies, including his own, suggest PVA can pass through wastewater treatment without completely degrading.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The mission emphasized that detaining adolescents under such conditions amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disparaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disparaging. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share