denigrate
denigrate
Definition
deni·grate (den′ə grāt′)
transitive verb denigrated -·grat′ed, denigrating -·grat′·ing
- to blacken
- to disparage the character or reputation of; defame
Etymology: < L denigratus, pp. of denigrare, to blacken < de-, intens. + nigrare, to blacken < niger, black: see -ate
Related Forms:
- denigration den′i·gra′·tion noun
- denigrator den′i·gra′·tor noun
- denigratory den′i·gra·tory (den′ə grə tôr′ē, də nig′re-) adjective
denigrate
Usage Examples
Object
- effort: I do not wish to denigrate the efforts of the 1990 or 1996 teams.
- importance: Professionals should not underestimate or denigrate the importance their visits play in maintaining psychological well-being for these patients.
Used with why or when
- what: If your game denigrates what is " old hat " , it won't last when it becomes old hat itself.
Modifying Another Word
- not: Note, I do not denigrate the good intentions of those who gave birth to these abject social policy failures.
- n't: My plea is only this: do n't denigrate the lowly sponge.
Browse dictionary entries near denigrate
- denier
- denied
- denicotinizing
- denicotinized
- denicotinize
- Denial of Service
- denial
- deniably
- deniable
- deniability
- denigrated
- denigrating
- denigration
- denigrator
- denigratory
- denim
- Denis
- Denise
- denitrate
- denitrated
