as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the nonstop vilifying had the effect of making some people sympathetic to the victim
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insulting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in libeling
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vilifying
Heather Abbott, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Newsom has manifested this weird love-hate relationship with oil, craving it in the short-term to keep California running while vilifying its manufacturers as the architects of our climate change crisis.
—Tom Philp, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
With his trademark military fatigues, slender Cohiba cigars, and marathon speeches vilifying Uncle Sam, Castro captured the imaginations of aspiring revolutionaries and millions of others around the world.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
These films, historians argue, are part of a broader campaign to redefine India’s national identity by elevating its Hindu heritage and vilifying its Muslim past.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
The pair also addressed Hollywood’s long history of flattening or vilifying Arab and Muslim identities.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
Long criticized by Republicans, who have spent millions of dollars on campaign ads vilifying her as a coastal elite and more, Pelosi remained unrivaled.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
The only way to stop this erosion is to remember what unites us, while seeking common ground, without vilifying the other side.
—Mark Waller, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Sexism and who gets labeled as the 'villain' Love triangles can also lead to vilifying the central love interest.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Judge Salas told us vilifying judges is eroding trust in the courts.
—Heather Abbott, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Newsom has manifested this weird love-hate relationship with oil, craving it in the short-term to keep California running while vilifying its manufacturers as the architects of our climate change crisis.
—Tom Philp, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
With his trademark military fatigues, slender Cohiba cigars, and marathon speeches vilifying Uncle Sam, Castro captured the imaginations of aspiring revolutionaries and millions of others around the world.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
These films, historians argue, are part of a broader campaign to redefine India’s national identity by elevating its Hindu heritage and vilifying its Muslim past.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
The pair also addressed Hollywood’s long history of flattening or vilifying Arab and Muslim identities.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
Long criticized by Republicans, who have spent millions of dollars on campaign ads vilifying her as a coastal elite and more, Pelosi remained unrivaled.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
The only way to stop this erosion is to remember what unites us, while seeking common ground, without vilifying the other side.
—Mark Waller, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Sexism and who gets labeled as the 'villain' Love triangles can also lead to vilifying the central love interest.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilifying
Noun
-
The company accused Moore of libel.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Sugar libel was snipped from both bills.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Prestianni, who has denied racially insulting Vinícius and has been defended by Benfica, was provisionally suspended for one match by UEFA and did not play in the second leg.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
According to the Tourette Association of America, between 10 and 15% of people living with the disorder have vocal tics that may include disturbing, insulting or inappropriate language, including swear words and slurs.—
Anastasia Tsioulcas,
NPR,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Baldoni has denied her allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, which published the actress’ complaint.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In her ruling, Geraghty also found that the lawsuit's claims against two news companies covering the case dealing with defamation were insufficient, dismissing those as well.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Anderson has countersued and accused Burkle of smearing his reputation amid a separate business dispute.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
When smearing peanut butter on bread, the robot watches the knife deflect down and crush the bread and judges forces from that.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The play unfolds as a series of battles, where the unaccomplished George and the bitterly disappointed Martha exchange vicious and demeaning insults, using Nick and Honey as the unsuspecting pawns in their war for supremacy.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Jonathan was even reprimanded more than once for his name-calling and demeaning attitude towards Ana.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Angel went for a respectful middle-of-the-road jab — complimenting her parenting and resilience, but maligning her for being petty.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Defense attorneys have also decried violations of fair-trial rights, saying that the prosecutor in the cases has sought to influence the jury pool by maligning those charged.—
LAUREN CARASIK,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Feb. 2017
Verb
-
Shocking lies Within hours, the administration was slandering her.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
17 Jan. 2026
-
And then the media was slandering our dad’s name and reputation after a lifetime of being a fairly wholesome guy.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Analysts say Kim's vilification of South Korea reflects his view that Seoul, which helped set up his first meetings with Trump, is no longer a useful intermediary with Washington but an obstacle to his effort to establish a more assertive regional footing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
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The man is due to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court Saturday, to face a raft of charges including wilful damage, serious vilification or hate crime, dangerous driving and possession of a dangerous drug.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vilifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilifying. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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