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Synonyms

maligned

American  
[muh-lahynd] / məˈlaɪnd /

adjective

  1. spoken ill of; defamed or slandered.

    I pointed to my unweeded yard full of bees and waxed rhapsodic about the benefits of the maligned dandelion.

    Considered by many to be a usurper and murderer, Richard III is one of the most maligned kings in history.


verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of malign.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of maligned

malign ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

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.

See Examples For:

For nearly 40 years as an attorney, he used that presence to fight for the maligned like few others.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 17, 2026

Oral estrogens have been unfairly maligned, while transdermal patches have been deemed a safer option.

From MarketWatch May 12, 2026

Richly talented but much maligned, England captain Harry Brook finally achieved redemption at Pallekele stadium in Kandy after a torrid few months -- and came of age as a leader.

From Barron's Feb. 25, 2026

In the weeks leading up to Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election, a series of AI-generated videos maligned the departing leader, Tsai Ing-wen.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 15, 2026

Maria Isabel feels she is being forced to have her daughter’s celebration with women who have maligned her as a bad mother.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

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