as in libeled
to make untrue and harmful statements about
claimed that she had been vilified by the press because of her conservative views
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Recent Examples of vilified
Prosecutors alleged that China was vilified for wanting simple things like food and water.
—
Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
On both occasions, an adult denied a kid a baseball and was caught on camera doing so, and both were vilified on social media for their actions.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
His presence will also mean that dinner guest lists are closely-watched, with CBS News planning to bring Secretary Pete Hegseth (who has vilified media coverage in press briefings), while the influencer Clavicular is expected to make the rounds as well.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Much of Orbán’s campaign vilified neighboring Ukraine.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Pat Fitzgerald was vilified, then vindicated.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Another signature initiative, the fact-checking news service BBC Verify, is routinely vilified by right-wing news outlets.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Yet, as often as institutional investors have been vilified for scooping up millions of homes, the data doesn’t back up the contention.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
By addressing financiers and corporate executives in Miami, Rodríguez signaled a willingness to engage directly with people her movement once vilified — an acknowledgment that foreign capital, particularly from the United States, will be central to Venezuela’s recovery.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
On both occasions, an adult denied a kid a baseball and was caught on camera doing so, and both were vilified on social media for their actions.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
His presence will also mean that dinner guest lists are closely-watched, with CBS News planning to bring Secretary Pete Hegseth (who has vilified media coverage in press briefings), while the influencer Clavicular is expected to make the rounds as well.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Much of Orbán’s campaign vilified neighboring Ukraine.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Pat Fitzgerald was vilified, then vindicated.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Another signature initiative, the fact-checking news service BBC Verify, is routinely vilified by right-wing news outlets.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Yet, as often as institutional investors have been vilified for scooping up millions of homes, the data doesn’t back up the contention.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
By addressing financiers and corporate executives in Miami, Rodríguez signaled a willingness to engage directly with people her movement once vilified — an acknowledgment that foreign capital, particularly from the United States, will be central to Venezuela’s recovery.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilified
Verb
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His windshield is smeared with the dust of a lengthy road journey.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
22 May 2026
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But the pigment and gum are largely invisible, because harding and Upkett smeared them with white paint used by the Carnegie Museum to cover its walls.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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You can be humiliated, and won’t that be awful?—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
19 May 2026
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Those who don’t get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Now, the ultimate question of whether Walters slandered Miller will return to the district court.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
29 Jan. 2026
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Jerry Jones slandered my name to Cowboys media and national media for months.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Day, acquitted of one killing, but convicted of the other in 1994, has long alleged Chicago police tied to disgraced former police Cmdr.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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King may be familiar to followers of Massachusetts State Police scandals as his state case came up in the fallout to the revelations regarding disgraced ex-Trooper Michael Proctor.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vilified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilified. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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