Synonyms for vilify
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Defame — to say defamatory things about someone or something; to speak ill of
defame, revile, disparage, demonize, demonise UK, denigrate, decry, discredit, criticize UK US, criticise UK, malign, speak ill of, stigmatize, stigmatise UK, assail, besmirch, blacken, abuse, debase, sully, smear, slur, lampoon, disgrace, tarnish
Definitions
- v. 1
To say defamatory things about someone or something; to speak ill of.
- v. 2
To belittle through speech; to put down.
Related words
- Word family
- vilification vilifier vile
Forms
- Past participle
- vilified
e.g. vilified → defamed, reviled, disparaged, demonized…
Choose the right word
Defame, malign, rail at, revile, slander, vilify, and vituperate are used always in a bad sense.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- demonize Gabriel used trolls to demonize Melissa's company.
- disparage We didn't mean to disparage our contenders.
- defame Sami didn't want to defame anyone.
- revile Love me or revile me, but do not ignore me.
- denounce The alterglobalists denounce growing inequalities.
- berate If you berate me like that again, I will quit.
By length
- 4 letters
- rate1, rail1, slam1, slur1
- 5 letters
- abuse2, swear1, curse1, smear1, sully2, scold1, decry2, chide1
- 6 letters
- rebuke2, malign2, defame2, berate2, assail2, debase2, revile2
- 7 letters
- condemn2, tarnish2, censure2, lampoon2, blacken2, lambast, upbraid2
- 8 letters
- disgrace2, denounce2, demonize3, chastise2, admonish3, demonise, besmirch, derogate, lamblast
- 9 letters
- criticize3, discredit3, criticise, reprimand3, disparage3, denigrate3, deprecate3, castigate3, fulminate3, excoriate4
- 10 letters
- stigmatize3, stigmatise, vituperate
- 12 letters
- anathematize, anathematise
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (abuse2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- vilipender