vilification

American  

[vil-uh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌvɪl ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of defaming or speaking ill of someone or something.

   Senior bishops are prepared to atone for the vilification their predecessors heaped on Darwin in the 1860s, when he put forward his theory of evolution.

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Etymology

Origin of vilification

First recorded in 1600–10; equivalent to vili(fy) ( def. ) + -fication ( def. )

Example Sentences

There followed a statement by U.S. bishops condemning what they called the vilification and arbitrary treatment of migrants.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We are concerned by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.”

From Los Angeles Times

Then, after a 20-year detour into essays - that split public opinion and earned her both reverence and vilification - and a second novel, Roy has returned with her first memoir.

From BBC

But some say the vilification of developers is misplaced.

From Los Angeles Times

What does not help, in any way, is the vilification of people who do not have children.

From Los Angeles Times