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
Related Words
See decry.
Other Word Forms
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
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Vocabulary from the Second Presidential Debate: October 9, 2016
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This Week in Words: December 1 - 7 , 2018
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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.
After a week of hearing various US officials denigrate Europe, its leaders and its regulations at Davos, ECB chief Christine Lagarde said Friday that the harsh words could be just what the continent needed.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
Netflix didn’t just become HBO—it won HBO, and will now denigrate the quality of that house in the process while swallowing up another formidable competitor.
From Slate • Dec. 5, 2025
But certainly, my script is not in an effort to denigrate Maggie’s experience.
From Salon • Oct. 17, 2025
This is not to denigrate Grealish's form, which has already made him a hero with Everton's fans, but a brutal reality.
From BBC • Oct. 14, 2025
And they don’t denigrate that person—they honor her.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
