as in to criticize
formal
to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted
He impugned his rival's character. Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.
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Recent Examples of impugn
So the markets are the ultimate arbiter of over whether the Fed’s independence is being impugned.
—
NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Paltrow gives a curiously pulseless performance that might have impugned some of her blossoming star power had Hush opened when it was supposed to.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2025
The school board argued that Pickering’s statements were false and that the reputation of the district and its employees had been impugned.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
Ehlers’ duty as a public official includes upholding and respecting the legal process, not impugning it.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impugn
NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Paltrow gives a curiously pulseless performance that might have impugned some of her blossoming star power had Hush opened when it was supposed to.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2025
The school board argued that Pickering’s statements were false and that the reputation of the district and its employees had been impugned.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
Ehlers’ duty as a public official includes upholding and respecting the legal process, not impugning it.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impugn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impugn
Verb
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While DeGette has focused her comments on the need for humanitarian aid, Kiros has more directly criticized Israel and questioned its legitimacy as a state.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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The posts criticizing White's coaching decisions, rotations and accountability picked up real traction across Clark-heavy corners of X after the blowout.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Conrad, who has always denied the existence of a tape, blamed Pratt for leaking the story.—
Louis Staples,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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Concentrated forms of it are increasingly blamed for addiction, health issues and even death.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
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As the video drew more attention, protesters gathered at the Shelby Police Department Friday to denounce the officer’s actions and call on the department to take action before he was fired, CNN affiliate WBTV reported.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
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The song, and its accompanying video featuring Bryan dancing on a dock, was ripped online, and launched a string of comments denouncing the track — about, yep, fishing and hunting, golfing and drinking — as the product of a large language model.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon all condemned Iran’s attacks across the Gulf.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
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The owner of Boise’s condemned Union Block building, Kenneth Howell, has appealed his March court loss and filed a new lawsuit against the city, arguing that the condemnation decision was arbitrary.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
3 June 2026
Verb
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In February, The New York Times reported DHS hired a social media manager accused of White-nationalist messaging.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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Beyond advocating better emergency preparedness in the wake of the 2025 fires, Pratt’s messaging has centered on accusing Bass of failing to address homelessness and the rising cost of living, capitalizing on mounting frustration from Angelenos.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impugn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impugn. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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