| Main Entry: | backbite |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defame |
Synonyms: |
abuse, backstab, badmouth, calumniate, denigrate, gossip, lie, malign, scandalize, slander, spite, traduce, vilify |
Antonyms: |
praise |
| Main Entry: | abuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack with words |
Synonyms: |
backbite, bad-mouth, bash, belittle, berate, blow off, calumniate, cap, castigate, cuss out, cut down, cut to the quick, decry, defame, derogate, discount, do a number on, dump on, give a black eye, hurl brickbat, insult, knock*, minimize, nag, offend, oppress, persecute, pick on, put down*, rag on, reproach, revile, ride*, rip up, run down, scold, signify, slam*, slap, sling mud, smear, sound*, swear at, tear apart, trash*, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, zing |
| Notes: | abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harm to misuse is to use something wrongly, to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it |
Antonyms: |
acclaim, adulate, approve, commend, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | backstab |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack indirectly |
Synonyms: |
backbite, betray, double-cross, play Judas, sell down the river, slander, smear |
| Main Entry: | censure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condemn; criticize severely |
Synonyms: |
abuse, admonish, animadvert, asperse, attack, backbite, berate, blame, carp at, castigate, cavil, chastise, chide, contemn, cut up, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, disapprove, discipline, disparage, exprobate, find fault with, get after, impugn, incriminate, judge, knock, lecture, look askance, ostracize, pick apart, pull apart, read out, rebuff, rebuke, remonstrate, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, take to task, tear apart, tell off, upbraid |
Antonyms: |
allow, approve, compliment, endorse, laud, permit, sanction |
| Main Entry: | detract |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take away a part; lessen |
Synonyms: |
backbite, belittle, blister, cheapen, cut rate, decrease, decry, depreciate, derogate, devaluate, diminish, discount, discredit, disesteem, draw away, knock*, laugh at, lower, minimize, misprize, reduce, subtract from, underrate, undervalue, vilipend, withdraw, write off |
Antonyms: |
add to, increase, optimize |
| Main Entry: | malign |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | slander, defame |
Synonyms: |
abuse, accuse, asperse, backbite, bad-mouth, befoul, besmirch, bespatter, blacken, calumniate, cast aspersion, curse, decry, defile, denigrate, depreciate, derogate, detract, dirty*, disparage, harm, injure, insult, misrepresent, mudsling, opprobriate, pollute, rap, revile, roast, run down, scandalize, slur, smear, soil, spatter, speak ill of, stain, sully, taint, take a swipe at, tarnish, tear down, traduce, vilify, villainize, vituperate |
Antonyms: |
praise, uphold |
| Main Entry: | mistreat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | treat badly or wrongly |
Synonyms: |
abuse, backbite, bash, brutalize, bung up, chop, do wrong, dump on, give black eye, handle roughly, harm, injure, kick around, knock around, maltreat, maul, mess up, misuse, molest, outrage, push around, rip, rough up, roughhouse, shake up, total*, trash*, wax, wound, wrong |
Antonyms: |
coddle, favor, pamper, pet, please, satisfy, treat well |
| Main Entry: | slander |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make a scandalous remark |
Synonyms: |
asperse, assail, attack, backbite, bad-mouth, belie, belittle, besmirch, blacken name, blaspheme, blister, blot, calumniate, cast a slur on, curse, damage, decry, defame, defile, denigrate, depreciate, derogate, detract, dishonor, disparage, give a bad name, hit*, hurt, injure, libel, malign, muckrake, pan, plaster, revile, roast, run smear campaign, scandalize, scorch, slam*, sling mud, slur, smear, smirch, sneer, strumpet, sully, tarnish, tear down, traduce, vilify |
Antonyms: |
flatter, glorify, praise |
| Main Entry: | scandalize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | calumniate |
Synonyms: |
asperse, backbite, bad-mouth, belie, belittle, blackball, blackguard, condemn, decry, defame, denigrate, deprecate, detract, disgrace, disgust, dishonor, disparage, embarrass, lampoon, libel, malign, offend, outrage, revile, shock, slander, traduce, vilify |
Antonyms: |
commend, compliment, flatter, honor, laud, praise |