Nearby Words
| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize; detract from |
| Synonyms: | abuse, belittle, chill*, cry down, decry, defame, degrade, deject, demoralize, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derogate, dis, discourage, discredit, disdain, dishearten, dismiss, dispirit, dispraise, downcry, dump on, lower, malign, minimize, pan, put down, put hooks in, rap, ridicule, roast, run down, scorch, scorn, slam*, slander, smear, sour grapes, tear down, traduce, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify, write off |
| Antonyms: | approve, commend, compliment, flatter, laud, praise, sanction |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | belittle |
| 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: | censure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condemn; criticize severely |
| Synonyms: | abuse, admonish, animadvert, asperse, attack, backbite, berate, blame, carp at, castigate, cavil, chastise, chide, contemn, cut up, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, disapprove, discipline, disparage, exprobate, find fault with, get after, impugn, incriminate, judge, knock, lecture, look askance, ostracize, pick apart, pull apart, read out, rebuff, rebuke, remonstrate, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, take to task, tear apart, tell off, upbraid |
| 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: | allow, approve, compliment, endorse, laud, permit, sanction |
| 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: | chill |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | discourage |
| Synonyms: | cloud, dampen, dash, deject, demoralize, depress, dishearten, dismay, disparage, dispirit |
| Antonyms: | encourage, hearten, incite, inspirit |
| 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: | criticize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disapprove, judge as bad |
| Synonyms: | animadvert on, bash, blame, blast, blister, carp, castigate, censure, chastise, chide, clobber, come down on, condemn, cut down, cut to bits, cut up, denounce, denunciate, disparage, do a number on, dress down, excoriate, find fault, fluff, fulminate against, fustigate, give bad press, hit, jump on, knock*, lambaste*, nag at, nit-pick, pan, pick at, rap, reprehend, reprimand, reprobate, reprove, rip*, roast, scathe, scorch*, skin alive, skin*, slam*, slog, slug, take down, trash*, trim*, zap |
| Antonyms: | approve, compliment, laud, praise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | debunk |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disprove, ridicule |
| Synonyms: | cut down to size, deflate, demystify, discover, disparage, expose, lampoon, mock, puncture, show up, uncloak, unmask, unshroud |
| Antonyms: | prove, uphold |
| 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
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.
