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smearing
| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blame, detract from |
| Synonyms: | blow up, bring into disrepute, bring to naught, censure, defame, degrade, destroy, disconsider, disesteem, disfavor, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, disprove, explode, expose, frown upon, knock bottom out of, mudsling, poke full of holes, pooh-pooh, puncture, put down, reflect on, reproach, ruin, run down, shoot, show up, slander, slur, smear, take rug out from under, tear down, vilify |
| Antonyms: | commend, credit, honor, praise |
| Main Entry: | foul |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make or become dirty |
| Synonyms: | befoul, begrime, besmear, besmirch, block, catch, choke, clog, contaminate, defile, desecrate, discolor, ensnare, entangle, fill, jam, pollute, profane, smear, smudge, snarl, soil, spot, stain, sully, taint, tarnish, twist |
| Antonyms: | clean, purify, sterilize |
| Main Entry: | humiliate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | embarrass, put down |
| Synonyms: | abase, abash, base, bemean, blister, break, bring down, bring low, cast down, chagrin, chasten, confound, confuse, conquer, crush*, cut down to size, debase, degrade, demean, denigrate, deny, depress, discomfit, discountenance, disgrace, dishonor, downplay, humble, lower, make a fool of, make ashamed, mortify, pan, play down, put out of countenance, put to shame, rip*, run down, shame, shoot down, slam*, smear, snub, squash, subdue, take down a peg, take down, tear down, vanquish, wither |
| Antonyms: | build up, elevate, laud, praise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | impugn |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | criticize, challenge |
| Synonyms: | assail, attack, blast, break, call into question, cast aspersions upon, cast doubt upon, come down on, contradict, contravene, cross, cut to shreds, deny, disaffirm, dispute, gainsay, knock*, negate, negative, oppose, pin something on, put down*, question, resist, run down, skin alive, slam*, smear, stick it to, swipe at, tar, throw doubt on, throw the book at, thumb nose at, traduce, trash, traverse, zap, zing |
| Notes: | to impugn is to dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of; to oppugn is to dispute the truth or validity of, to strive against |
| Antonyms: | flatter, praise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | lambaste |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | punish, beat |
| Synonyms: | assail, attack, berate, blister, bludgeon, castigate, censure, criticize, cudgel, denounce, excoriate, flay, flog, hammer, hit, lash into, pan, pelt, pound, pummel, rake over the coals, read the riot act, rebuke, reprimand, rip into, roast, scathe, scold, scorch, scourge, shellac, slam, slap, slash, smear, smother, strike, thrash, trim, upbraid, wallop, whip |
| Antonyms: | praise, uphold |
| 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: | lick |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defeat, sometimes by hitting |
| Synonyms: | beat, best, clobber, conquer, down, excel, flog, hit, hurdle, lambaste, master, outdo, outstrip, overcome, overwhelm, rout, slap, smear, smother, spank, strike, surmount, surpass, thrash, throw, top, trim, trounce, vanquish, wallop, whip |
| Antonyms: | lose |
| Main Entry: | lubricate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make slippery |
| Synonyms: | anoint, cream, grease, lard, lube, make, oil, oil the wheels, slick, smear, smooth, tallow, wax |
| Antonyms: | dry |
| Main Entry: | malign |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | slander, defame |
| Synonyms: | abuse, accuse, asperse, backbite, bad-mouth, befoul, besmirch, bespatter, blacken, calumniate, cast aspersion, curse, decry, defile, denigrate, depreciate, derogate, detract, dirty*, disparage, harm, injure, insult, misrepresent, mudsling, opprobriate, pollute, rap, revile, roast, run down, scandalize, slur, smear, soil, spatter, speak ill of, stain, sully, taint, take a swipe at, tarnish, tear down, traduce, vilify, villainize, vituperate |
| Antonyms: | praise, uphold |
* = 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.
