| Main Entry: | derogate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take away |
Synonyms: |
denigrate, detract, discredit, disparage, humiliate, insult, slander |
| 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: | belittle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | detract |
Synonyms: |
bad-mouth, blister, criticize, cut down to size, cut to the quick, decry, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derogate, diminish, discount, discredit, disparage, dispraise, downgrade, downplay, dump on, knock*, lower, minimize, pan, pooh pooh, poor mouth, put down, rip*, roast, run down, scoff at, scorch*, scorn, shoot down, shoot full of holes, slam*, smear, sneer at, sour grapes, squash, squelch, take a swipe at, take down, take down a peg, tear down, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, write off |
Antonyms: |
build up, exaggerate, praise, value |
| Main Entry: | cheapen |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | diminish worth |
Synonyms: |
abase, beat down, belittle, corrupt, damage, debase, decline, decry, degrade, demean, denigrate, depreciate, derogate, devalue, discredit, disparage, downgrade, drop, fall, lose value, lower, mar, mark down, minimize, reduce, render worthless, ruin, spoil, undervalue, write off |
Antonyms: |
appreciate, enhance, increase, raise, upgrade |
| 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: | degrade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shame, humiliate |
Synonyms: |
abase, belittle, bemean, bench, break, bump, bust, canker, cast down, cheapen, corrupt, cut down to size, debase, debauch, declass, decry, degenerate, demean, demote, depose, deprave, derogate, deteriorate, detract, diminish, disbar, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, downgrade, humble, impair, injure, lessen, lower, mudsling, pan, pervert, put down, reduce, rule out, run down, shoot down, sink, slam, take down a peg, take down, tear down, vitiate, weaken |
Antonyms: |
admire, approve, elevate, honor, promote, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | demean |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | humble, humiliate |
Synonyms: |
abase, bad-mouth, belittle, bemean, cast down, contemn, cut down to size, cut rate, debase, decry, degrade, derogate, descend, despise, detract, dis, disparage, dump on, knock down, lower, pan, poor-mouth, scorn, sink, stoop |
Antonyms: |
boost, enhance, improve, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | denounce |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condemn, attack |
Synonyms: |
accuse, adjudicate, arraign, blacklist, blame, boycott, brand, castigate, censure, charge, charge with, criticize, damn, declaim, decry, denunciate, derogate, dress down, excoriate, expose, finger*, hang something on, impeach, implicate, impugn, incriminate, indict, inveigh against, knock, ostracize, proscribe, prosecute, rap, rat, rebuke, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprobate, reprove, revile, scold, show up, skin*, smear, stigmatize, take to task, threaten, upbraid, vilify, vituperate |
Antonyms: |
approve, commend, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | deprecate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | belittle, condemn |
Synonyms: |
cut down to size, depreciate, derogate, detract, disapprove of, discommend, discountenance, disesteem, disfavor, disparage, expostulate, frown, mudsling, not go for, object, pooh-pooh, poor mouth, protest against, put down*, rip*, run down, take dim view of, take down, take exception to |
Antonyms: |
approve, build up, commend, compliment, endorse, laud, 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 |