| 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 |
| Notes: | libel (from Latin libellus 'little book') must be published, while spoken defamatory remarks are slander; libel first meant 'document, written statement' slander is spoken defamation; libel is written or visual or broadcast defamation |
Antonyms: |
flatter, glorify, praise |
| Main Entry: | accuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | place blame for wrongdoing, fault |
Synonyms: |
allege, apprehend, arraign, arrest, attack, attribute, betray, blame, blow the whistle, brand, bring charges, censure, charge, cite, complain, criminate, denounce, file claim, finger*, frame, hang something on, hold accountable, impeach, implicate, impute, incriminate, inculpate, indict, lay at door, let have it, libel, litigate, lodge complaint, name, pin on, point finger at, prosecute, recriminate, serve summons, slander, slur, sue, summon, tax |
Antonyms: |
absolve, exculpate, exonerate, praise, vindicate |
| Main Entry: | affront |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | insult or involve in entanglement |
Synonyms: |
abuse, anger, annoy, confront, criticize, displease, dispraise, dump on, encounter, face, give a zinger, give the cold shoulder, hit where one lives, meet, offend, outrage, pique, provoke, put down*, slander, slight, taunt, vex |
| Notes: | effrontery means shameless boldness or insulting presumptuousness while an affront is a deliberately offensive act or open insult |
Antonyms: |
appease, assuage, compliment, gratify, mollify, placate, please, satisfy, soothe |
| 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: | bad-mouth |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | to denigrate |
Synonyms: |
belittle, criticize, cut down to size, dis, disparage, dump on, find fault, knock*, malign, mudsling, pan, pooh pooh, put down*, rap, rip, roast, run down, slam, slander, take a dig at, take down a peg, tear down, tear to pieces |
| 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: | 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: | discredit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blame, detract from |
Synonyms: |
blow up, bring into disrepute, bring to naught, censure, defame, degrade, destroy, disconsider, disesteem, disfavor, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, disprove, explode, expose, frown upon, knock bottom out of, mudsling, poke full of holes, pooh-pooh, puncture, put down, reflect on, reproach, ruin, run down, shoot, show up, slander, slur, smear, take rug out from under, tear down, vilify |
Antonyms: |
commend, credit, honor, praise |
| Main Entry: | disgrace |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bring shame upon |
Synonyms: |
abase, attaint, besmirch, blot, debase, defame, defile, degrade, depress, deride, derogate, desecrate, discredit, disfavor, dishonor, disparage, disregard, disrespect, expel, give a black eye, humble, humiliate, libel, lose face, lower, mock, put down, reduce, reproach, ridicule, slander, slur, snub, stain, stigmatize, sully, taint, take down a peg, tar and feather, tarnish |
Antonyms: |
esteem, exalt, honor, respect |