| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | calumny |
| Synonyms: | abuse, animadversion, aspersion, bad press, censure, criticism, defamation, disgrace, humiliation, ignominy, insult, invective, reproach, slander, vituperation |
| Main Entry: | aspersion |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | verbal exhibition of bad temper |
| Synonyms: | abuse, animadversion, backbiting, backhanded compliment, black eye, calumny, defamation, detraction, dirty dig, hit*, invective, knock*, libel, obloquy, put-down, rap, slam*, slander, smear, vituperation |
| Notes: | baptism by sprinkling is aspersion, by dipping is immersion, by pouring water is affusion |
| Antonyms: | calmness, happiness, kindness, mildness |
| Main Entry: | backbiting |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hateful talk |
| Synonyms: | abuse, aspersion, backstabbing, belittlement, calumniation, calumny, cattiness, defamation, denigration, depreciation, detraction, disparagement, gossip, invective, lie, malice, obloquy, scandal, slander, spite, spitefulness, tale, traducement, vilification, vituperation |
| Antonyms: | encouragement, praise |
| Main Entry: | blame |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | condemnation |
| Synonyms: | accusation, animadversion, arraignment, attack, attribution, castigation, censure, charge, chiding, complaint, criticism, denunciation, depreciation, diatribe, disapprobation, disapproval, disfavor, disparagement, expostulation, exprobation, impeachment, implication, imputation, incrimination, inculpation, indictment, invective, objurgation, obloquy, opposition, rebuke, recrimination, remonstrance, reprehension, reprimand, reproach, reprobation, reproof, repudiation, slur, tirade |
| Antonyms: | applause, commendation, exaltation, exculpation, exoneration, praise, thanks |
| Main Entry: | censure |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | severe criticism |
| Synonyms: | admonishment, admonition, blame, castigation, condemnation, disapproval, dressing down, objection, obloquy, rebuke, remonstrance, reprehension, reprimand, reproach, reproof, stricture |
| Notes: | to censor is to disallow portions or the entireties of books, plays, etc. on the grounds that they transgress propriety, 'to scrutinize, revise, or cut,' expurgate or suppress; to censure is to criticize vehemently or harshly, or condemn |
| Antonyms: | approval, compliment, encouragement, endorsement, praise, ratification, recommendation, sanction |
| Main Entry: | curse |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hateful, swearing remark |
| Synonyms: | anathema, ban, bane, blaspheming, blasphemy, commination, cursing, cuss word, cussing, damning, denunciation, dirty name, dirty word, double whammy, execration, expletive, four-letter word, fulmination, imprecation, malediction, malison, naughty words, no-no, oath, objuration, obloquy, obscenity, profanation, profanity, sacrilege, swear word, swearing, vilification, whammy |
| Antonyms: | compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | defamation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | libel, slander |
| Synonyms: | aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, black eye, calumny, character assassination, cheap shot, denigration, depreciation, detraction, dirt, dirty laundry, disparagement, dump*, dynamite, hit, knock, lie, low-down dirty, mud, obloquy, opprobrium, scorcher, slam*, slap in face, slime, slur, smear, tale, traducement, vilification |
| Antonyms: | approval, commendation, compliment, exaltation, praise |
| Main Entry: | denunciation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | condemnation, criticism |
| Synonyms: | accusation, arraignment, blame, castigation, censure, charge, cursing, damning, denouncement, derogation, dressing down, fulmination, incrimination, indictment, invective, knock*, obloquy, rap, reprehension, reprimand, reprobation, smearing, stigmatization, upbraidment, vilification |
| Antonyms: | appreciation, approval, commendation, compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | detraction |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | misrepresentation; slander |
| Synonyms: | abuse, aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, calumny, damage, defamation, denigration, deprecation, derogation, disesteem, disparagement, harm, hit, hurt, injury, injustice, innuendo, insinuation, knock*, libel, libeling, lie, maligning, minimization, muckraking, obloquy, pejorative, revilement, ridicule, running down, scandal, scandalmongering, scurrility, slam, smear campaign, tale, traducement, traducing, vilification, vituperation, wrong |
| Antonyms: | admiration, adulation, flattery, praise |