detraction

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Disparagement

Nouns

1. detraction, derogation, disparagement, dispraise, depreciation, disvaluation, vilification, obloquy, scurrility, scandal, defamation, aspersion, traducement, slander, calumny, evil-speaking, backbiting, vituperation; underestimation; libel; lampoon, derision (see ridicule); criticism, invective. Informal, bringdown, headhunting. See disapprobation, disrespect, imprecation.

2. detractor, derogator, etc. (see

Verbs); cynic, critic; hatchetman; muck-raker, mudslinger; satirist.

Verbs — detract, derogate, decry, depreciate, discount, disparage, denigrate, downplay; underestimate, belittle, cut down to size, put in one's place, minimize, run down, cry down, sneer at (see contempt); deride, ridicule; criticize, pull or pick to pieces, pick apart, pick holes in, asperse, cast aspersions, blow upon, bespatter, blacken, run or tear down, take down a peg; vilify, revile, give a dog a bad name, sell short, malign, backbite, libel, lampoon; vituperate, traduce, slander, defame, calumniate, bear false witness against; stab in the back; speak ill of, call names, anathematize, dip the pen in gall, view in a bad light. Slang, bad-mouth, low-rate, dump on, eat out, diss, dirty-mouth, put down.

Adjectives — detracting, detractory, derogatory, defamatory, disparaging, libelous; caustic, critical, scurrilous; abusive; slanderous, calumnious, calumniatory, sarcastic, satirical, cynical.

Quotations — Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms (George Eliot).

Antonyms, see approbation, exaggeration, flattery.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. discrediting, disparagement, derogation, defamation; see lie 1 .

III

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun 1. The act or an instance of belittling: belittlement, denigration, deprecation, depreciation, derogation, disparagement, minimization. See ATTACK, SHOW. 2. The expression of injurious, malicious statements about someone: aspersion, calumniation, calumny, character assassination, defamation, denigration, scandal, slander, traducement, vilification. Law: libel. See ATTACK, CRIMES, LAW.