vilify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to speak ill of; defame; slander.
- Synonyms:
- blacken, asperse, abuse, malign, calumniate, disparage, depreciate
- Antonyms:
- commend
-
Obsolete. to make vile.
verb
-
to revile with abusive or defamatory language; malign
he has been vilified in the tabloid press
-
rare to make vile; debase; degrade
Other Word Forms
- unvilified adjective
- vilification noun
- vilifier noun
- vilifyingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of vilify
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Late Latin word vīlificāre. See vile, -fy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Prices at such a level could lead the kingdom to be vilified and trigger a recession or consumer changes that crush demand.
My whole life, they had been vilified by my mom’s side of the family.
From Los Angeles Times
“Ye’s lawyers called him a liar, a fraud, and a malingerer in court. His medical records, bank records, and personal family history were dissected, mocked, and vilified,” said attorney Ronald Zambrano in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times
Marsh said the impact of being "vilified" online and in person had made her life "hell".
From BBC
Often, he is ridiculed, vilified and told he is no longer welcome.
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.
