as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
theater critics have been denigrating her acting ability for years
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Recent Examples of denigrate
Their interracial, interfaith relationship has been publicly picked apart, with white Christian nationalists and fringe conservatives denigrating Usha Vance's faith and her Indian American heritage.
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Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
Trump has made denigrating comments toward multiple countries in the tournament, and Iran threatened to boycott the draw before switching course a day in advance.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2025
Where's the line between church and state, and how does government simultaneously defend freedom for all religions and denigrate none?
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 28 Nov. 2025
Others are opting to un-celebrate and, instead, to denigrate the anniversary, following the logic of Nikole Hannah-Jones’s original introduction to the 1619 Project, which cast the Revolution as regrettable.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denigrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denigrate
Verb
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In September, Hecox filed a notice to dismiss the lawsuit.—
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Why was Alabama’s 31-17 loss to a 4-8 FSU team so easily dismissed by the committee?—
Verb
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Cruz and other Republicans argued the decision minimized the gravity of an attack on the judiciary and could encourage future political violence.—
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
Verb
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Still seething after a sloppy 19-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, Johnson wasn’t hiding his dissatisfaction with a defeat that seemed to diminish his team’s momentum.—
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Kaufman moved there 30 years ago, and since that time the island’s community has diminished by degrees, its youth lured away by better employment prospects in Provo and overseas.—
Verb
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House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.—
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Bibelheimer also had good reason to criticize the film, as Ferrell’s portrayal of her was wildly at odds with the truth.—
Verb
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In past election cycles, city leaders who were finalists for the event lobbed insults at one another, disparaging one another from across the country for a chance at the prestigious selection.—
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That’s not, however, to disparage those running.—
Cite this Entry
“Denigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denigrate. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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