as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
an uncomplimentary description of the town in which the writer grew up
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Recent Examples of uncomplimentary
Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.
—
Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 29 July 2022
Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE.com, 21 Jan. 2022
Reviews from Rolling Stone and The New York Times were similarly uncomplimentary, and were soon pulled from publication following Lennon's murder.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2020
The nation’s capital is replete with lawyers, and thus lawyer jokes (most of them uncomplimentary).
—George Weigel, National Review, 2 Dec. 2019
An uncomplimentary set of players under two head coaches with no plan, Spurs stumbled their way to sixth place somehow, despite their best efforts to finish in the bottom half.
—SI.com, 21 Oct. 2019
In this case, the noun brickbat, meaning a hard object like a brick that’s used as a missile or an uncomplimentary remark, gave us the verb brickbat, meaning to launch one of these physical or verbal weapons.
—June Casagrande, Burbank Leader, 10 Oct. 2019
The recent protests have included uncomplimentary references to la junta — the local name for the oversight board.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2019
Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 29 July 2022
Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE.com, 21 Jan. 2022
Reviews from Rolling Stone and The New York Times were similarly uncomplimentary, and were soon pulled from publication following Lennon's murder.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2020
The nation’s capital is replete with lawyers, and thus lawyer jokes (most of them uncomplimentary).
—George Weigel, National Review, 2 Dec. 2019
An uncomplimentary set of players under two head coaches with no plan, Spurs stumbled their way to sixth place somehow, despite their best efforts to finish in the bottom half.
—SI.com, 21 Oct. 2019
In this case, the noun brickbat, meaning a hard object like a brick that’s used as a missile or an uncomplimentary remark, gave us the verb brickbat, meaning to launch one of these physical or verbal weapons.
—June Casagrande, Burbank Leader, 10 Oct. 2019
The recent protests have included uncomplimentary references to la junta — the local name for the oversight board.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncomplimentary
Adjective
-
These character endnotes, whether they’re read as youthful naiveté or an insulting interpretation of youthful naiveté, contribute to the finale’s bitter aftertaste.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
1 June 2026
-
The comments were not well received, with locals telling BBC Scotland News that the description was insulting and did not reflect the people in the area.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
People throwing cigarette butts against the house, yelling obscenities, playing derogatory music.—
Madeleine Wright,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
Lorincz, who is White, called the children, who are Black, derogatory names and racial slurs.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The teenager was arrested for 12 counts of willful/malicious kill/maim/torture animal -- horse and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property over $5,000, authorities said.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
Justice Stanley Reed’s majority opinion emphasized that what had happened to Francis was accidental and that, without malicious intent, there was no violation of the Eighth Amendment.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Felix points to Trump’s disparaging and false comments against Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, which put a target on the back of many Haitian immigrants.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
While Trump’s talk of a possible NATO pullout dates back years, the comments to The Telegraph newspaper in the U.K., published Wednesday, were among the clearest and most disparaging yet — suggesting that the fracture has deepened perhaps to a point of no return.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of the women interviewed for the article claimed that Platner could be demeaning to women and, in at least one case, even physically threatening.—
Selina Wang,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
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Despite the demeaning work, Laura, a local woman, has risen to middle management through unyielding determination.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
This subsided with unusual speed, however, as cricket fans took instead to sharing the self-deprecatory jokes coming over the border.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
22 June 2019
-
Philipps has acquired her 1-million-and-growing Instagram followers through her self-deprecatory humor, raw honesty and vulnerability.—
Sonja Haller,
USA TODAY,
11 July 2018
Adjective
-
These aren’t just NIMBY complaints—not in the pejorative sense, at least.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
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Although originally pejorative, the term has since been widely adopted by scholars, writers, and the public.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Critics are sometimes contemptuous of the way superhero entertainment has been embraced by adults, who should presumably be making their way through the Booker Prize longlist.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Sara Hershkowitz’s wildly contemptuous Queen adds further soprano glory.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uncomplimentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncomplimentary. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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