denigrate
verb
Did you know?
If you "denigrate" someone, you attempt to blacken their reputation. It makes sense, therefore, that "denigrate" can be traced back to the Latin verb denigrare, meaning "to blacken." When "denigrate" was first used in English in the 16th century, it meant to cast aspersions on someone's character or reputation. Eventually, it developed a second sense of "to make black" ("factory smoke denigrated the sky"), but this sense is somewhat rare in modern usage. Nowadays, of course, "denigrate" can also refer to belittling the worth or importance of someone or something.
Synonyms
Examples of denigrate in a Sentence
Max Thornberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 June 2024
This is hardly the first time someone has been caught denigrating ancient structures.
—Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 25 June 2024
Trying to suppress and denigrate someone who doesn’t share your views is abhorrent and un-American .
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2024
Back in 2020, the Voice of the People ran my letter about Michael Avenatti and Lev Parnas being part of a rogue’s gallery paraded around in an effort to denigrate Trump.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for denigrate 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'denigrate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Denigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denigrate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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