| Main Entry: | calumniate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defame |
Synonyms: |
accuse, asperse, blacken, blaspheme, libel, malign, revile, scandalize, slander, slur, smear, vilify |
| 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: | blacken |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | malign; smear |
Synonyms: |
asperse, attack, bad-mouth, blot, blotch, calumniate, decry, defame, defile, denigrate, dishonor, do a number on, give a black eye, knock*, libel, malign, rip up and down, rip*, slander, slur, smudge, stain, sully, taint, tarnish, traduce, vilify |
Antonyms: |
compliment, enhance, praise |
| Main Entry: | decry |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize, blame |
Synonyms: |
abuse, asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, calumniate, censure, condemn, cry down, defame, denounce, depreciate, derogate, detract, devalue, diminish, discount, discredit, disgrace, disparage, do a number on, downgrade, dump on, hit*, knock*, lower, malign, mark down, minimize, opprobriate, pan, poor-mouth, put down, rail against, rap, reprehend, reprobate, run down, slam*, take away, take swipe at, throw stones at, traduce, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify, write off |
Antonyms: |
applaud, compliment, exalt, laud, praise |
| Main Entry: | defame |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | inflict libel or slander |
Synonyms: |
asperse, bad-mouth, belie, besmirch, blacken, blister, calumniate, cast aspersions on, cast slur on, denigrate, detract, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, do a number on, knock, malign, pan, put zingers on, roast, scandalize, scorch, slam, smear, speak evil of, stigmatize, throw mud at, traduce, vilify, villainize, vituperate |
Antonyms: |
approve, commend, compliment, exalt, praise |
| Main Entry: | denigrate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | belittle, malign |
Synonyms: |
asperse, bad mouth, besmirch, blacken, blister, calumniate, decry, defame, dis, disparage, give black eye, impugn, knock*, libel, mudsling, put down*, revile, rip up, roast, run down, scandalize, slander, tear down, traduce, vilify |
Antonyms: |
boost, cherish, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | depreciate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | belittle, ridicule |
Synonyms: |
abuse, asperse, attack, calumniate, censure, clamor against, condemn, contemn, decry, defame, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, deride, derogate, detract, discount, discountenance, discredit, disgrace, disparage, dispraise, fault, find fault with, humble, knock, look down on, lower, malign, minimize, put down, rap, revile, roast, run down, scoff at, scorn, slam, slander, slight, slur, smear, sneer at, spurn, take down a peg, traduce, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify |
Antonyms: |
approve, commend, compliment, exalt, laud, praise, recommend |
| Main Entry: | libel |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | purposefully lie about someone |
Synonyms: |
asperse, bad-mouth, blister, burlesque, calumniate, caricature, crack, defame, denigrate, derogate, drag name through mud, give a black eye, knock, malign, mark wrong, mark*, revile, roast, scandalize, scorch, sizzle, slur, smear, tear down, traduce, travesty, vilify |
Antonyms: |
tell truth |
| 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: | 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 |