denigration
den-i-GRAY-shun
/ˌdenɪˈɡreɪʃən/
The action of unfairly criticizing someone or something in a way that suggests they are of little worth.
Denigration is the systematic process of belittling someone's achievements or character.
The story behind the word. Denigration comes from the Latin 'denigrare,' which literally means 'to blacken.' To denigrate someone is to 'blacken' their reputation or 'darken' their achievements so they can no longer be seen clearly.
Word relationships
- belittlement: Belittlement is making something seem small; denigration is making it seem worthless or 'blackened.'
- disparagement: Disparagement is a general term for speaking poorly of something; denigration is more intense.
- exaltation: Exaltation is the action of praising someone highly.
- glorification: Glorification is the act of describing something as admirable.
Commonly confused with
- designation: Designation is a title or label; denigration is a belittling remark.
Word family
- denigrate (verb): to criticize unfairly; to disparage
Collocations
- constant denigration
- systematic denigration
- denigration of character
Example sentences
- "The constant denigration of the local schools in the newspaper has hurt teacher morale." A critique of media coverage.
- "She was tired of the manager's denigration of her hard work during staff meetings." A workplace dispute.
Memory hook
DENIGRATE = DE-NIGER (blacken). You are blackening someone's name. Blackening a reputation.
When not to use
Do not use for a single, quick insult; it implies a more thorough 'tearing down.'
Fun facts
- The word 'negro' and 'Nigeria' share the same 'niger' (black) root.
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