blackwash
Smear someone's reputation
Blackwash is the opposite of whitewash—to make something appear worse than it is, or to defame by emphasizing faults and ignoring virtues.
Where whitewash covers up wrongdoing, blackwash smears: The documentary was criticized as a blackwash of the politician's legacy.
Less common than its counterpart, the term appears in political and media criticism.
Oxidation discoloration on metal
- defameHarm reputation falsely
- sullyDamage one's standing
- besmirchTo soil someone's reputation
- denigrateCriticize unfairly to harm
disparage · vilify · malign · slander · libel · smear · slur · calumniate
Act of hiding something
- suppressionForcible prevention or concealment
- whitewashConceal or coat pale
- sanitizationCleaning to remove pathogens
- obscureUnknown to most
hide · bury · gloss over · secrecy · omission · redaction · erasure · distortion
Intentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- brainwashCoercively alter beliefs
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
manipulation · deception · fabrication · psyops · mythmaking · falsehood · bias · distortion
tarnish
Oxidation discoloration on metal
denigrate · disparage · vilify · malign · slander · libel · smear · slur · calumniate · impugn
concealment
Act of hiding something
- suppressionForcible prevention or concealment
- whitewashConceal or coat pale
- sanitizationCleaning to remove pathogens
obscure · hide · bury · gloss over · secrecy · omission · redaction · erasure · distortion · falsification
disinformation
Intentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- brainwashCoercively alter beliefs
indoctrination · manipulation · deception · fabrication · psyops · mythmaking · falsehood · bias · distortion · demagoguery
blackwashwhitewash
Conceal or coat pale
exonerate · vindicate · exculpate · clear someone's name · rehabilitate
blackwashwhitewash
Conceal or coat pale
whitening · white paint · limewash · light wash · bleach