vilifying
Speaking ill of
Vilifying is speaking or writing about someone in a way that damages their reputation or portrays them as evil or worthless.
The word carries more weight than mere criticism—it suggests sustained, harsh attack on character: The tabloids spent months vilifying the actress.
Politicians often accuse opponents of vilifying them rather than debating policy.
Spoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- smearSpread or defame
- defameHarm reputation falsely
- malignAttack someone's reputation
denigrate · disparage · traduce · calumny · besmirch · blacken · discredit · impugn
Falsely damaging to reputation
- disparagingExpressing negative judgment
- derogatoryExpressing criticism or disrespect
- pejorativeTerm expressing disapproval
- vituperativeHarshly condemning in speech
scathing · contemptuous · disdainful · abusive · demeaning · degrading · mocking · deriding
slander
Spoken false defamation
malign · denigrate · disparage · traduce · calumny · besmirch · blacken · discredit · impugn · decry
slanderous
Falsely damaging to reputation
- disparagingExpressing negative judgment
- derogatoryExpressing criticism or disrespect
- pejorativeTerm expressing disapproval
vituperative · scathing · contemptuous · disdainful · abusive · demeaning · degrading · mocking · deriding · scornful
- intolerantbigoted, biased, prejudiced, discriminatory, intolerant
- vilificationdemonizing, demonisation, demonize, demonising, stigmatizing
- disrespectinsulting, belittling, demeaning, mocking, ridiculing
- shamingshaming, humiliating, disgracing, dishonoring, degrading
- oppressionoppression, tyranny, racism, repression, secret police
- beatingsbeating, thrashing, pummeling, pounding, battering
vilifyingpraising
Voicing admiration
glorifying · lauding · extolling · eulogizing · exalting
vilifyingdefending
Protecting against harm
vindicating · sanctifying · idolizing · canonizing · championing
vile, vilify, revile, villainous, vileness, vilification, vilified, vilifies, vilifier