DENIGRATORY Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

denigratory

adjective

Definition of denigratory

as in insulting

intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value a denigratory observation that the novel wasn't half bad—considering it was written by an actor

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for denigratory

Adjective

Afterward, Lisa brags about her pickpocketing skills and says theft is easier and less insulting to the mark.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
The mother was waiting with her daughter for her other children to get off a school bus when Blanco allegedly approached and made insulting comments, Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said, according to WPRI.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of insulting

Adjective

Tweets about Cunningham, thinkpieces, and rebuttals have all swirled into an endless mass of controversy — one dominated by derogatory rhetoric, threats, and anti-trans memes.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
Many posts written and shared by Hamam al Hamami on an X account that has since been deleted used derogatory language about women espoused by misogynistic online influencers.

— Tucker Reals, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of derogatory

Adjective

Moreover, the perpetrators do not appear to have used malicious code on the fridge controllers, potentially complicating efforts to track down who carried out the cyberattack, added Aimé.

— Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of malicious

Adjective

The point is, the term is meant to be pejorative, used to describe — and let’s face it, judge — the most exaggerated form of plastic surgery, politics aside.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Calling something a white wine thriller could be interpreted as pejorative, if not sexist.

— Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of pejorative

Adjective

Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.

— Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 29 July 2022
Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.

— Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE.com, 21 Jan. 2022

Definition of uncomplimentary

Adjective

This subsided with unusual speed, however, as cricket fans took instead to sharing the self-deprecatory jokes coming over the border.

— The Economist, The Economist, 22 June 2019
Philipps has acquired her 1-million-and-growing Instagram followers through her self-deprecatory humor, raw honesty and vulnerability.

— Sonja Haller, USA TODAY, 11 July 2018

Definition of deprecatory

Adjective

At Fuerte Guaicaipuro, a military facility, investigators documented detainees being confined in pit-like cells dug below ground level and subjected to cold, food deprivation and other degrading treatment.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
The beating can look degrading, but the check might protect opportunities for hundreds of athletes who never appear in the game.

— Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of degrading

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

denigrators

denigratory

denims

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“Denigratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denigratory. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of denigratory

adjective

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