| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | tear, cut |
| Synonyms: | cleavage, gash, hole, laceration, rent, slash, slit, split |
| Antonyms: | closure |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Main Entry: | blacken |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | malign; smear |
| Synonyms: | asperse, attack, bad-mouth, blot, blotch, calumniate, decry, defame, defile, denigrate, dishonor, do a number on, give a black eye, knock*, libel, malign, rip up and down, rip*, slander, slur, smudge, stain, sully, taint, tarnish, traduce, vilify |
| Antonyms: | compliment, enhance, praise |
| Main Entry: | claw |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | using sharp nail |
| Synonyms: | break, dig, graze, hurt, itch, lacerate, mangle, maul, open, rip, scrabble, scrap, scrape, scratch, tear |
| Main Entry: | cleave |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | divide, split |
| Synonyms: | carve, chop, crack, cut, dissect, dissever, disunite, divorce, hack, hew, open, part, pierce, rend, rip, rive, separate, sever, slice, stab, sunder, tear asunder, whack |
| Antonyms: | join, meld, unite |
| Main Entry: | contend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue |
| Synonyms: | affirm, allege, assert, aver, avow, blast, charge, claim, come at, cross, debate, defend, dictate, dispute, enjoin, fly in face of, gang up on, go at, have at, have bone to pick, hold, insist, jump on, justify, lace into, lay into, let have it, light into, lock horns with, maintain, mix, mix it up, prescribe, put up argument, report, rip*, say, set to, sock it to one, stick it to, take on, tell, urge, vindicate, warrant, zap |
| Antonyms: | cede, give in, give up, surrender |
| 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 |
| Main Entry: | cut |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | incision |
| Synonyms: | carving, chip, chop, cleavage, cleft, dissection, fissure, furrow, gash, graze, groove, intersection, kerf, laceration, mark, nick, nip, notch, opening, passage, penetration, pierce, prick, rabbet, rent, rip, scarification, sculpture, section, shave, slash, slit, slot, snip, stab, stroke, trench, trim, wound |