denigrate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame.
to denigrate someone's character.
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to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage.
to denigrate someone's contributions to a project.
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Archaic. to make black; darken.
rain clouds denigrating the sky.
verb
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(tr) to belittle or disparage the character of; defame
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a rare word for blacken
Synonym Usage
See decry.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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denigratoryadjective
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denigratornoun
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self-denigratingadjective
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denigrativeadjective
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denigrationnoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have denigratedperfect
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has denigratedperfect 3rd person singular
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are denigratingprogressive
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have been denigratingperfect progressive
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am denigratingprogressive 1st person singular
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denigratingparticiple
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has been denigratingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is denigratingprogressive 3rd person singular
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denigratessingular 3rd person
Past
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had denigratedperfect
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was denigratingprogressive singular
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denigratedsimple
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were denigratingprogressive plural
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had been denigratingperfect progressive
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denigratedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of denigrate
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin dēnigrātus (past participle of dēnigrāre “to blacken”), equivalent to dē- de- + nigr(āre) “to make black” + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
To denigrate is to say bad things — true or false — about a person or thing. Your reputation as a math whiz might be hurt if your jealous classmate manages to denigrate you, even though the accusations are unfounded. The verb denigrate comes from the Latin word denigrare, which means “to blacken.” To sully or defame someone’s reputation, or to spread negative or hurtful information about a company or a situation, is to denigrate it. Your neighbors may denigrate your proposal for mandatory recycling in an attempt to stop your plan. Denigrate can also mean that you're making something seem less important, like when your brother tries to denigrate your athletic achievements.
Vocabulary lists containing denigrate
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This Week in Words: December 1 - 7 , 2018
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
