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| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | detract |
| Synonyms: | bad-mouth, blister, criticize, cut down to size, cut to the quick, decry, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derogate, diminish, discount, discredit, disparage, dispraise, downgrade, downplay, dump on, knock*, lower, minimize, pan, pooh pooh, poor mouth, put down, rip*, roast, run down, scoff at, scorch*, scorn, shoot down, shoot full of holes, slam*, smear, sneer at, sour grapes, squash, squelch, take a swipe at, take down, take down a peg, tear down, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, write off |
| Antonyms: | build up, exaggerate, praise, value |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | abuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack with words |
| Synonyms: | backbite, bad-mouth, bash, belittle, berate, blow off, calumniate, cap, castigate, cuss out, cut down, cut to the quick, decry, defame, derogate, discount, do a number on, dump on, give a black eye, hurl brickbat, insult, knock*, minimize, nag, offend, oppress, persecute, pick on, put down*, rag on, reproach, revile, ride*, rip up, run down, scold, signify, slam*, slap, sling mud, smear, sound*, swear at, tear apart, trash*, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, zing |
| Notes: | abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harm to misuse is to use something wrongly, to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it |
| Antonyms: | acclaim, adulate, approve, commend, compliment, praise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | bad-mouth |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | to denigrate |
| Synonyms: | belittle, criticize, cut down to size, dis, disparage, dump on, find fault, knock*, malign, mudsling, pan, pooh pooh, put down*, rap, rip, roast, run down, slam, slander, take a dig at, take down a peg, tear down, tear to pieces |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | cheapen |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | diminish worth |
| Synonyms: | abase, beat down, belittle, corrupt, damage, debase, decline, decry, degrade, demean, denigrate, depreciate, derogate, devalue, discredit, disparage, downgrade, drop, fall, lose value, lower, mar, mark down, minimize, reduce, render worthless, ruin, spoil, undervalue, write off |
| Antonyms: | appreciate, enhance, increase, raise, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | condemn |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blame, convict |
| Synonyms: | adjudge, belittle, blow whistle on, call down, castigate, censure, chide, come down on, criticize, damn, decry, denounce, denunciate, deprecate, depreciate, disapprove, disparage, doom, find fault with, find guilty, frame, hang something on, judge, knock, lay at one's door, let have it, name, pass sentence on, pin it on, point finger at, pronounce, proscribe, punish, put away, put down, reprehend, reproach, reprobate, reprove, send up, send up the river, sentence, skin, thumbs down on, upbraid |
| Antonyms: | absolve, acquit, approve, clear, discharge, exonerate, free, pardon, release, set free |
| Main Entry: | decry |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize, blame |
| Synonyms: | abuse, asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, calumniate, censure, condemn, cry down, defame, denounce, depreciate, derogate, detract, devalue, diminish, discount, discredit, disgrace, disparage, do a number on, downgrade, dump on, hit*, knock*, lower, malign, mark down, minimize, opprobriate, pan, poor-mouth, put down, rail against, rap, reprehend, reprobate, run down, slam*, take away, take swipe at, throw stones at, traduce, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify, write off |
| Antonyms: | applaud, compliment, exalt, laud, praise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | degrade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shame, humiliate |
| Synonyms: | abase, belittle, bemean, bench, break, bump, bust, canker, cast down, cheapen, corrupt, cut down to size, debase, debauch, declass, decry, degenerate, demean, demote, depose, deprave, derogate, deteriorate, detract, diminish, disbar, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, downgrade, humble, impair, injure, lessen, lower, mudsling, pan, pervert, put down, reduce, rule out, run down, shoot down, sink, slam, take down a peg, take down, tear down, vitiate, weaken |
| Antonyms: | admire, approve, elevate, honor, promote, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | demean |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | humble, humiliate |
| Synonyms: | abase, bad-mouth, belittle, bemean, cast down, contemn, cut down to size, cut rate, debase, decry, degrade, derogate, descend, despise, detract, dis, disparage, dump on, knock down, lower, pan, poor-mouth, scorn, sink, stoop |
| Antonyms: | boost, enhance, improve, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | detract |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take away a part; lessen |
| Synonyms: | backbite, belittle, blister, cheapen, cut rate, decrease, decry, depreciate, derogate, devaluate, diminish, discount, discredit, disesteem, draw away, knock*, laugh at, lower, minimize, misprize, reduce, subtract from, underrate, undervalue, vilipend, withdraw, write off |
| Antonyms: | add to, increase, optimize |
* = informal/non-formal usage
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
