denigrate

[den-i-greyt]

verb (used with object)

denigrated, denigrating 

1. to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame.

   to denigrate someone's character.

   Synonyms: vilify, disparage, traduce, slander, besmirch, malign

2. to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage.

   to denigrate someone's contributions to a project.

3. Archaic.,  to make black; darken.

   rain clouds denigrating the sky.

denigrate

/ ˈdɛnɪˌɡreɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to belittle or disparage the character of; defame

2. a rare word for blacken

Other Word Forms

• denigration noun
• denigrative adjective
• denigrator noun
• denigratory adjective
• self-denigrating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of denigrate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of denigrate¹

C16: from Latin dēnigrāre to make very black, defame, from nigrāre to blacken, from niger black

Synonym Study

See decry.

Example Sentences

None of this is to denigrate Townsend, whose passion for the job is questioned only by those who don't know him.

Read more on BBC

Caesar denigrated situation comedies as soap operas with laughs added.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The right rode to power by attacking what it denigrates at “wokeism” on the left.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The worst of them — think Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., or White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt — smile broadly as they lynch the truth and denigrate the working press on the daily.

Read more on Salon

Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is currently facing pressure to forcibly remove an elected official from office for online content denigrating Indian immigrants.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• besmirch 
• defame 
• disparage 
• impugn 
• slander 
• vilify