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
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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
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Recent Examples of disparaging
Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 5 Dec. 2025
Emily’s father didn’t say it in a disparaging way—more like That was just Ryan.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Lorne Cook, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
The filmmaker reached out in light of disparaging comments made about the actor by Quentin Tarantino on a podcast, and the pair got to talking.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Fernández was accused of disparaging the federation and attempting to install his preferred candidate to lead the football institution.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
So please, stop disparaging previous presidents.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
But Kelly’s statements were not made while on active duty, and were not disparaging.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
In past election cycles, city leaders who were finalists for the event lobbed insults at one another, disparaging one another from across the country for a chance at the prestigious selection.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
But Trump’s relationship with Musk eventually dissolved, resulting in Musk’s departure in May and a fusillade of disparaging messages between the two men on social media.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Then, in the final days of the month, seemingly out of nowhere, Ocasio-Cortez went after Gaines, who had just given birth, in a series of disparaging social media posts.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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
Emily’s father didn’t say it in a disparaging way—more like That was just Ryan.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
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
More recently, Trump’s disparaging remarks about his NATO allies’ troops in Afghanistan drew another outcry.
—Lorne Cook, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
The filmmaker reached out in light of disparaging comments made about the actor by Quentin Tarantino on a podcast, and the pair got to talking.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Fernández was accused of disparaging the federation and attempting to install his preferred candidate to lead the football institution.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
So please, stop disparaging previous presidents.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
But Kelly’s statements were not made while on active duty, and were not disparaging.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
In past election cycles, city leaders who were finalists for the event lobbed insults at one another, disparaging one another from across the country for a chance at the prestigious selection.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
But Trump’s relationship with Musk eventually dissolved, resulting in Musk’s departure in May and a fusillade of disparaging messages between the two men on social media.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Then, in the final days of the month, seemingly out of nowhere, Ocasio-Cortez went after Gaines, who had just given birth, in a series of disparaging social media posts.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disparaging
Verb
-
Consequently, before dismissing this federal tax credit scholarship careful consideration should be given to who can benefit from this additional funding and if this program allows a win-win situation for both public and private schools across Illinois.—
Froylan Jimenez,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
My career at The Times started as my mother was dying of ovarian cancer after years of doctors dismissing her health concerns.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Yet a much more reputable but equally insulting theory about Easter Island has remained influential, even dominant, Pitts argues.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Those were found to be both abusive and insulting, and included a reference to colour or race.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In Greenville … Stop minimizing our voices.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
-
These settings reduce the speed and intensity of the tumbling action, minimizing the likelihood of tangling.—
Anyssa Roberts,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
During the incident, the woman pushed him, shoved a shopping cart at him and made derogatory remarks, according to police.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Reale joked that he’s been called plenty of derogatory names through the years by surfers in the water competing for waves.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
From there, steamboats of diminishing sizes could make their way up the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers and smaller ones like the Tennessee, Arkansas and even the Wabash.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Which wouldn’t be such a bad outcome for most documentary films — arguably moviedom’s most beleaguered genre due to diminishing audience appetite at the multiplex level.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Other Natives found the video demeaning when it was circulated.—
Ian Frazier,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
-
That demeaning statement has proven both accurate and inaccurate, depending on the president’s relationship with the vice president, their skill set, experience, and political ambition.—
Myra Adams,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Conservative leaders and activists are criticizing the NFL's choice, citing the artist's political views and challenges to gender norms.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The video, made with artificial intelligence, went viral on social media platform TikTok in a matter of hours, and hundreds of comments poured in criticizing the establishment.—
Imelda García,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Former detainees and human rights organizations have documented systematic torture and severe abuses inside the facility, including beatings, electric shocks, suspension by limbs, prolonged stress positions and other degrading treatment.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Currently the funds spent by governments and the private sector on destroying biodiversty and degrading cosystems like forests and seagrasses are 30 times larger than the flows supporting conservation, restoration and protection of the natural world.—
Nick Nuttall,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disparaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disparaging. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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