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| Main Entry: | |
| 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: | disgrace |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bring shame upon |
| Synonyms: | abase, attaint, besmirch, blot, debase, defame, defile, degrade, depress, deride, derogate, desecrate, discredit, disfavor, dishonor, disparage, disregard, disrespect, expel, give a black eye, humble, humiliate, libel, lose face, lower, mock, put down, reduce, reproach, ridicule, slander, slur, snub, stain, stigmatize, sully, taint, take down a peg, tar and feather, tarnish |
| Antonyms: | esteem, exalt, honor, respect |
| Main Entry: | dishonor |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shame, degrade |
| Synonyms: | abase, attaint, blot, corrupt, debase, debauch, defame, defile, disconsider, discredit, disgrace, disoblige, give a black eye, libel, make lose face, reflect on, slander, sully |
| Antonyms: | credit, esteem, honor, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | hit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | strike |
| Synonyms: | KO, bang, bash, bat, batter, beat, belt, blast, blitz, box*, brain*, buffet, bump, clap, clip, clobber, clout, club, crack, cudgel, cuff, dab, ding, flail, flax, flog, give a black eye, hammer*, hook, jab, kick, knock, knock around, knock out, lace, lambaste, larrup, lather, let fly, let have it, lob, nail, pellet, pelt, percuss, pop, pound, punch, rap, ride roughshod, slap, smack, sock, stone, swat, tap, thrash, thump, thwack, trash, uppercut, wallop, whack, whang |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | libel |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | purposefully lie about someone |
| Synonyms: | asperse, bad-mouth, blister, burlesque, calumniate, caricature, crack, defame, denigrate, derogate, drag name through mud, give a black eye, knock, malign, mark wrong, mark*, revile, roast, scandalize, scorch, sizzle, slur, smear, tear down, traduce, travesty, vilify |
| Notes: | libel (from Latin libellus 'little book') must be published, while spoken defamatory remarks are slander; libel first meant 'document, written statement' slander is spoken defamation; libel is written or visual or broadcast defamation |
| Antonyms: | tell truth |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | shame |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disgrace, embarrass |
| Synonyms: | abash, blot, confound, cut down to size, debase, defile, degrade, disconcert, discredit, dishonor, give a black eye, humble, humiliate, mortify, reproach, ridicule, shoot down, smear, stain, take down a peg, take down |
| Antonyms: | be proud, honor, regard, respect |
| Main Entry: | slur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | insult |
| Synonyms: | blacken, blemish, blister, blot, blow off, brand, calumniate, cap, chop*, cut to the quick, cut up, defame, denigrate, detract, discredit, disgrace, dump on, give a black eye, hit where one lives, insinuate, kick in the teeth, libel, malign, miff, offend, push, put down*, reproach, roast, scorch*, skin alive, slander, slap in the face, slight, smear, snub, spatter, stain, tear down, traduce, vilify, zing |
| Antonyms: | compliment, flatter, praise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | smear |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | tarnish a reputation |
| Synonyms: | asperse, bad-mouth, befoul, besmirch, blacken, blackguard, blister, calumniate, defame, defile, denigrate, discolor, drag through mud, give a black eye, hit*, libel, malign, pan, poor-mouth, rap, rip up, scorch*, slam*, slander, sling mud, slur, sully, taint, traduce, vilify |
| Antonyms: | honor, laud, upgrade |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | vilify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize very harshly |
| Synonyms: | abuse, asperse, assail, attack, bad-mouth, berate, blister, call down, caluminate, censure, curse, cuss, damn, debase, decry, defame, denigrate, denounce, dig*, disparage, dress down, dump on, give a black eye, jinx, knock*, libel, malign, mistreat, mudsling, pan, put a whammy on, put down*, rag on, rap, revile, rip up, roast, run down, scorch, skin alive, slam*, slander, slur, smear, speak ill of, tear down, tear into, traduce, vituperate, voodoo |
| Antonyms: | compliment, 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.
