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.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• unmaligned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of maligned

malign ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

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

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Others think the floods were far worse than any recent precedent, and that the Eastlands have been unfairly maligned.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 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

The idea came from C-SPAN Chief Executive Sam Feist, who produced the iconic — and often maligned — cable news debate program “Crossfire” during his years at CNN.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

The regent was acting in accordance with Thembu law and custom, and his own motives could not be maligned: he wanted us to be settled during his lifetime.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela