as in libeled
to make untrue and harmful statements about
a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 maligned
The tangerine-hued drink may have maligned aperitivo as what Americans think of as happy hour—consuming multiple drinks before dinner—but traditionally, aperitivo is a millennia-old ritual that stems from sipping a single drink with herbal, bitter flavors to stimulate the appetite.
—
Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
But it’s also unfairly maligned because Macca is completely in on the ridiculously catchy joke.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026
That may be why Intel is once again looking to bring back Raptor Lake, a performative, but maligned architectural design that sucked up a lot of power to deliver its impressive gaming and productivity performance.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 15 June 2026
With all this planning is also the usually maligned task of meal planning.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
From the beginning, the Chinese survivors were maligned by the press, even though Fang helped row the lifeboat and transport people to safety, the BBC reported.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Introduced in the 1960s and 1970s, the much maligned CanCon has proven one of the few barriers to total American media dominance that Canada (a nation where the vast majority of the population live within miles of the border) has been able to put in place.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 May 2026
Jarrett Allen, much maligned for past playoff struggles, dominated the Pistons with 23 points, seven rebounds, completely outmatching Detroit’s Jalen Duren.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Scottish weather is much maligned, but our summers are sublime, and the long daylight feels like a real luxury.
—Riza Cruz, Vogue, 11 May 2026
Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
But it’s also unfairly maligned because Macca is completely in on the ridiculously catchy joke.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026
That may be why Intel is once again looking to bring back Raptor Lake, a performative, but maligned architectural design that sucked up a lot of power to deliver its impressive gaming and productivity performance.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 15 June 2026
With all this planning is also the usually maligned task of meal planning.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
From the beginning, the Chinese survivors were maligned by the press, even though Fang helped row the lifeboat and transport people to safety, the BBC reported.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Introduced in the 1960s and 1970s, the much maligned CanCon has proven one of the few barriers to total American media dominance that Canada (a nation where the vast majority of the population live within miles of the border) has been able to put in place.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 May 2026
Jarrett Allen, much maligned for past playoff struggles, dominated the Pistons with 23 points, seven rebounds, completely outmatching Detroit’s Jalen Duren.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Scottish weather is much maligned, but our summers are sublime, and the long daylight feels like a real luxury.
—Riza Cruz, Vogue, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maligned
Verb
-
The costume—doofy top hat, smeared white paint—suggested full commitment to the bit.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
-
Over in the next aisle, Gifty Anderson, who typically buys bales from Canada and the United Kingdom, held up a dress smeared with body makeup and tossed it aside without a second thought.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Love was vilified for Cobain’s death, accused of complicity, exploitation, or worse, resulting in a real sense of danger.—
Quinn Moreland,
Pitchfork,
14 June 2026
-
Some of those who dared to express even a whisper of relief at his death were vilified online and arrested.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
There’s the stepover loved by the two Ronaldos (Cristiano and Nazario, the original from Brazil), the two-touch turn that took off on a video game, and the hocus pocus skill that humiliated one Brazil legend and earned another a free meal.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Bryan’s stumbling responses, under questioning from the legendary defense lawyer Clarence Darrow, left him humiliated.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Among the guests were Prince William and Kate Middleton, as well as the daughters of Sarah Ferguson and disgraced ex-Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
8 June 2026
-
Federal regulators are investigating disgraced former Congressman George Santos for possible insider trading on the prediction market Kalshi, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Now, the ultimate question of whether Walters slandered Miller will return to the district court.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Jerry Jones slandered my name to Cowboys media and national media for months.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Those accusations have long been discredited.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
-
After the war, his goalscoring statistics were deleted and his achievements were discredited, with the Polish press labelling him as mentally unstable and an alcoholic.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maligned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maligned. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
