impugned

verb

past tense of impugn
as in criticized
formal to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted He impugned his rival's character. Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of impugned The reputations of our decent and hard-working journalists were terribly impugned, and today they have been exonerated. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 7 July 2026 But the Pentagon’s representatives seemed to feel impugned. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026 So the markets are the ultimate arbiter of over whether the Fed’s independence is being impugned. — NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026 The school board argued that Pickering’s statements were false and that the reputation of the district and its employees had been impugned. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impugned
  1. criticized
  2. blamed
  3. denounced
  4. condemned
  5. accused
  6. appealed
Verb
  • The move came days after Stephens publicly criticized EMCC and Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference leadership over changes to the league’s football schedule and playoff format.
    — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also defended the decision to increase bond purchases earlier last month, after investor Stanley Druckenmiller criticized the move.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of criticized
Verb
  • Water security India moved to put the treaty in abeyance in April last year following a militant attack in Kashmir, for which Delhi blamed Pakistan but Islamabad denied involvement.
    — Sam Meredith,Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Officials blamed that attack on the National Liberation Army, Colombia’s largest remaining rebel group.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of blamed
Verb
  • Democratic divisions haven’t disappeared El-Sayed, who would be the country’s first Muslim senator, has denounced antisemitism while fiercely criticizing Israel for its military operations in Gaza.
    — Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Democratic divisions haven't disappeared El-Sayed, who would be the country's first Muslim senator, has denounced antisemitism while fiercely criticizing Israel for its military operations in Gaza.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of denounced
Verb
  • Vance, El-Sayed exchange jabs over spouse comments The dispute also took a personal turn as the vice president condemned El-Sayed for comments about second lady Usha Vance.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Both Curtis and county officials — who have condemned his actions — have asked the FBI and other authorities to investigate.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of condemned
Verb
  • During his absence, Haiti’s transitional authorities adopted a controversial decree shielding senior government officials accused of malfeasance and other crimes committed while in office from prosecution in the country’s regular courts.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Vucic last week accused the West and The Hague tribunal of blaming only Serbs for the crimes and bringing no justice for the Serb victims.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of accused
Verb
  • It was appealed by Lifton and the PCFB and Blakeman’s ability to cure was frozen due to the appeal.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 May 2026
  • Louisiana appealed to our court and sought a stay pending appeal.
    — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Definition of appealed

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Cite this Entry

“Impugned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impugned. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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