disparage
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to speak contemptuously of; belittle
-
to damage the reputation of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
undisparagedadjective
-
disparagingadjective
-
disparagementnoun
-
disparaginglyadverb
-
disparagernoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have disparagedperfect
-
has disparagedperfect 3rd person singular
-
disparagessingular 3rd person
-
disparagingparticiple
-
are disparagingprogressive
-
have been disparagingperfect progressive
-
has been disparagingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is disparagingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am disparagingprogressive 1st person singular
Past
-
had disparagedperfect
-
had been disparagingperfect progressive
-
disparagedparticiple
-
were disparagingprogressive plural
-
disparagedsimple
-
was disparagingprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of disparage
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French desparag(i)er “to match unequally,” from des- dis- 1 + -parag(i)er, verb derivative of parage “equal rank,” also “high birth, noble descent” ( see peerage)
Explanation
If you haven't got anything nice to say, then it's time to disparage someone. It means to belittle or degrade a person or idea. Disparage is a specific way to describe a certain kind of insult, the kind that secures the insulter's place as superior. It often refers to an opinion or criticism lobbed in print or via word of mouth, not necessarily an act done to someone's face. If someone or something is being disparaged, you will often find a competing interest in the wings.
Vocabulary lists containing disparage
The Bill of Rights
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 11, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
All About That Baseless: Bad-Faith Accusations
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In the letter terminating Pelley's contract on Tuesday, Bilton accused him of hijacking the staff meeting to disparage Bilton, his qualificatons and intentions with "remarkable incivility and contempt".
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
Newly appointed "60 Minutes" executive producer Nick Bilton said Pelley "hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt."
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
The signage removal comes after a March 2025 executive order called for the review of over 400 national sites to remove or modify interpretive materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”
From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026
The work of philanthropy, then, isn’t to command or correct—and it certainly isn’t to demean and disparage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025
This caused perhaps the most publicized dissent against the Lazarus woodpecker, with op-ed pieces running weekly in the paper to disparage John Barling and his mob of birdwatcher friends.
From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley
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.
