vilify
verb (used with object)
to speak ill of; defame; slander.
have vilified
-
present perfectof vilify.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Folktales and fairy tales since the Middle Ages have vilified the wolf as “the Devil, red tongued, sulfur breathed, and yellow eyed.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
Some may have also feared that blaming scientists for Covid could have vilified their industry and hurt the funding they rely on.
From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2023
Some players have vilified Manfred for his role.
From Fox News ● Feb. 10, 2022
It’s understandable that fans in San Diego have vilified owner Dean Spanos for moving the Chargers and jamming them into a market that has largely rejected them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2019
As much as the South have vilified the North, that army would go on such a mission and with the purest motives.
From Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister, 1857-78 by Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) Grant
