disparage
Speak ill of
To disparage someone or something is to speak of them slightingly or critically, suggesting they have little worth or merit.
The word carries a tone of belittlement rather than outright attack—you might disparage a colleague's ideas in a meeting or hear a critic disparage a new film.
Disparaging remarks are those that demean or put down their subject.
She felt hurt by his tendency to disparage her cooking.
The related noun disparagement refers to the act itself or to belittling comments.
Spoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- smearSpread or defame
- malignAttack someone's reputation
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
calumniate · traduce · besmirch · tarnish · sully · blacken · impugn · defame
Lower in standing
- diminishTo make smaller
- minimizeReduce to smallest extent
- downplayDiminish perceived importance
- trivializeMake light of
devalue · undervalue · underestimate · deflate · de-emphasize · undermine · undercut · underrate
Contemptuous mocking treatment
- derideMock with contempt
- scoffMock with disdain
- jeerVocal expression of scorn
- tauntInsulting provocation
sneer · lampoon · satirize · caricature · parody · heckle · gibe · scorn
slander
Spoken false defamation
vilify · calumniate · traduce · besmirch · tarnish · sully · blacken · impugn · defame · mudslinging
demean
Lower in standing
trivialize · devalue · undervalue · underestimate · deflate · de-emphasize · undermine · undercut · underrate · degrade
ridicule
Contemptuous mocking treatment
taunt · sneer · lampoon · satirize · caricature · parody · heckle · gibe · scorn · flout
denounce
Publicly declare wrongdoing
- condemnDeclare wrong or guilty
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
reproach · castigate · lambaste · excoriate · decry · pan · slam · flay · attack · blast
contempt
Disdainful disregard
- scornHostile dismissive feeling
- disrespectLack of regard
- derisionContemptuous mockery
disfavor · disesteem · loathing · revulsion · antipathy · aversion · repugnance · animosity · hostility · odium
- contemptcontempt, scorn, disdain, despise, derision
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, malign, slander, vilify
- defamationslander, libel, defamation, defamatory statement, defaming
- degradebelittle, demean, humiliate, degrade, debase
- dismissalsgo away, get out, leave, scram, beat it
- disapprovaldisapproval, scowl, disapprove, disapproves, frown
- disparate impactDiscrimination through neutral practices
disparate, disparaging, disparagement, disparaged, disparages, disparager, disparagers, disparagements