denigrate
verb
den·i·grate
ˈde-ni-ˌgrāt 
denigrated; denigrating
1
: to attack the reputation of : defame
denigrate one's opponents
2
: to deny the importance or validity of : belittle
denigrate their achievements
Did you know?
The word denigrate has been part of English since the 16th century and can be traced back to the Latin nigrare, meaning "to blacken." When denigrate was first used, 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"), representing an interesting case of a literal sense (now rare) following a figurative one. Nowadays, you’re most likely to hear denigrate used as a synonym of defame or belittle.
Examples of denigrate in a Sentence
Her story denigrates him as a person and as a teacher.
No one is trying to denigrate the importance of a good education. We all know that it is crucial for success.
denigrating the talents and achievements of women
Recent Examples on the Web
The publication is choosing to praise Trump slightly while denigrating his appearance as well.
—
Nicole Russell, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
That’s not to denigrate Punch, which is solidly built and well-meaning without sanctimony.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
They were recognized leaders of an artistic movement denigrated by Nazi leadership as Marxist-Jewish decadence.
—Christopher C. Gorham
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
And slang used to denigrate women—such as bop or for the streets—has proliferated.
—Molly Langmuir, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denigrate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Nicole Russell, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
That’s not to denigrate Punch, which is solidly built and well-meaning without sanctimony.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
They were recognized leaders of an artistic movement denigrated by Nazi leadership as Marxist-Jewish decadence.
—Christopher C. Gorham
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
And slang used to denigrate women—such as bop or for the streets—has proliferated.
—Molly Langmuir, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denigrate
Cite this Entry
“Denigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denigrate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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