| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make fun of; insult |
| Synonyms: | banter, chaff, contemn, detract, dis, disdain, disparage, do a number on, dump on, flout, gibe, jeer, jolly, kid, knock, laugh at, lout, mock, pan, pooh-pooh, put down*, quiz, rag, rally, razz, rib, ridicule, roast, scoff, scorn, slam, sneer, taunt, twit |
| Antonyms: | commend, compliment, flatter, praise, revere |
| 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 |
| Main Entry: | disdain |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hate; indifference |
| Synonyms: | antipathy, arrogance, aversion, contempt, contumely, derision, despisal, despisement, despite, dislike, disparagement, hatred, haughtiness, hauteur, insolence, loftiness, pride, ridicule, scorn, sneering, snobbishness, superbity, superciliousness |
| Notes: | contempt is a more engaged, more involved feeling of disapproval than disdain |
| Antonyms: | admiration, esteem, favor, like, love, praise, respect |
| 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: | dismiss |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | put out of one's mind |
| Synonyms: | banish, contemn, deride, despise, discard, disdain, dispel, disregard, drop, flout, gibe, gird, jeer, kiss off, laugh away, lay aside, mock, pooh-pooh, rally, reject, relegate, repudiate, repulse, ridicule, scoff, scorn, scout, set aside, shelve, spurn, taunt, twit |
| Antonyms: | accept, welcome |
| Main Entry: | disparage |
| 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 |
| Main Entry: | disparagement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | strong criticism; detraction |
| Synonyms: | aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, blame, calumny, censure, condemnation, contempt, contumely, debasement, degradation, denunciation, depreciation, derision, derogation, discredit, disdain, impairment, lessening, lie, prejudice, reproach, ridicule, scandal, scorn, slander, tale, underestimation |
| Antonyms: | approval, commendation, compliment, flattery, praise, sanction |
| Main Entry: | flout |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | show contempt for |
| Synonyms: | affront, defy, deride, disregard, gibe, gird, insult, jeer, laugh at, mock, outrage, quip, repudiate, ridicule, scoff, scorn, slight, sneer, spurn, taunt, thumb nose at |
| Notes: | one flaunts (makes much of) something of one's own (wealth, good looks, education) while one flouts (disregards or violates) something outside oneself (convention, law, regulation); to flaunt is to show off and to flout is to treat with contempt or disregard with smugness |
| Antonyms: | honor, respect |
| Main Entry: | gird |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make fun of |
| Synonyms: | deride, flout, fun at, gibe, jeer, jest, mock, poke, quip, ridicule, scoff, scorn, sneer, taunt |
| Antonyms: | compliment, flatter, praise |