| Main Entry: | aspersion |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | verbal exhibition of bad temper |
Synonyms: |
abuse, animadversion, backbiting, backhanded compliment, black eye, calumny, defamation, detraction, dirty dig, hit*, invective, knock*, libel, obloquy, put-down, rap, slam*, slander, smear, vituperation |
| Notes: | baptism by sprinkling is aspersion, by dipping is immersion, by pouring water is affusion |
Antonyms: |
calmness, happiness, kindness, mildness |
| Main Entry: | backbiting |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hateful talk |
Synonyms: |
abuse, aspersion, backstabbing, belittlement, calumniation, calumny, cattiness, defamation, denigration, depreciation, detraction, disparagement, gossip, invective, lie, malice, obloquy, scandal, slander, spite, spitefulness, tale, traducement, vilification, vituperation |
Antonyms: |
encouragement, praise |
| Main Entry: | criticism |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | verbal disapproval |
Synonyms: |
Bronx cheer, animadversion, aspersion, bad press, blast, brickbats, call down, carping, cavil, caviling, censure, critical remarks, cut*, denunciation, disparagement, faultfinding, flak, hit*, knock*, nit-picking, objection, opprobrium, pan, panning, put down, quibble, rap on knuckles, reproof, roast, slam*, slap on wrist, slap, static, stricture, swipe, vitriol, zapper |
| Notes: | a criticism is an evaluation or judgment of something, while critique is a somewhat elevated term for the same thing; review is used as a synonym for these but may also imply a more comprehensive study |
Antonyms: |
approval, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | defamation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | libel, slander |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, black eye, calumny, character assassination, cheap shot, denigration, depreciation, detraction, dirt, dirty laundry, disparagement, dump*, dynamite, hit, knock, lie, low-down dirty, mud, obloquy, opprobrium, scorcher, slam*, slap in face, slime, slur, smear, tale, traducement, vilification |
Antonyms: |
approval, commendation, compliment, exaltation, praise |
| Main Entry: | detraction |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | misrepresentation; slander |
Synonyms: |
abuse, aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, calumny, damage, defamation, denigration, deprecation, derogation, disesteem, disparagement, harm, hit, hurt, injury, injustice, innuendo, insinuation, knock*, libel, libeling, lie, maligning, minimization, muckraking, obloquy, pejorative, revilement, ridicule, running down, scandal, scandalmongering, scurrility, slam, smear campaign, tale, traducement, traducing, vilification, vituperation, wrong |
Antonyms: |
admiration, adulation, flattery, praise |
| Main Entry: | disparagement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | strong criticism; detraction |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, blame, calumny, censure, condemnation, contempt, contumely, debasement, degradation, denunciation, depreciation, derision, derogation, discredit, disdain, impairment, lessening, lie, prejudice, reproach, ridicule, scandal, scorn, slander, tale, underestimation |
Antonyms: |
approval, commendation, compliment, flattery, praise, sanction |
| Main Entry: | innuendo |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | suggestion |
Synonyms: |
allusion, aside, aspersion, hint, implication, imputation, insinuation, intimation, overtone, reference, whisper |
Antonyms: |
evidence, proof |
| Main Entry: | insult |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hateful communication |
Synonyms: |
abuse, affront, aspersion, black eye, blasphemy, cheap shot, contempt, contumely, derision, despite, discourtesy, disdainfulness, disgrace, disrespect, ignominy, impertinence, impudence, incivility, indignity, insolence, invective, libel, mockery, obloquy, offense, opprobrium, outrage, put-down, rudeness, scorn, scurrility, shame, slam, slander, slap, slap in the face, slight, snub, superciliousness, taunt, unpleasantry, vilification, vituperation |
Antonyms: |
compliment, flattery, praise |
| Main Entry: | libel |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | purposeful lie about someone, often malicious |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, calumny, defamation, denigration, lying, malicious, obloquy, smear, vituperation |
Antonyms: |
compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | lie |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | untruth |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, calumniation, calumny, deceit, deception, defamation, detraction, dishonesty, disinformation, distortion, evasion, fable, fabrication, falsehood, falseness, falsification, falsity, fib, fiction, forgery, fraudulence, guile, hyperbole, inaccuracy, invention, libel, mendacity, misrepresentation, misstatement, myth, obloquy, perjury, prevarication, revilement, reviling, slander, subterfuge, tale, tall story, vilification, white lie, whopper |
Antonyms: |
honesty, truth |