as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
thanked her for the gift and then added the denigrative aside, "Not that it's anything special!"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denigrative
Adjective
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For filmmakers who view their individual work as the center of gravity, this can sit somewhere between confusing and insulting.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026 -
Survivors rejected the offer, calling it insulting.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The 31-year-old man was charged Wednesday with malicious destruction of property and possessing substances to operate a meth lab.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Court records show that 31-year-old Xin Tong was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and operating/maintaining a lab involving methamphetamine.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Dozens of nations push for reopening of strait Dozens of nations repeated calls to open the critical waterway in a joint statement led by Bahrain.—
Samy Magdy,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Those increases are being driven in part by global supply concerns, including ongoing tensions involving Iran and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for oil shipments.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There’s an adjustment period — percale can feel crisp at first — but most people acclimate within a week or two and find cotton softens further with every wash, rather than pilling or degrading like synthetics.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
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Most people acclimate within a week or two, and cotton gets softer with every wash rather than pilling or degrading.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In this best-selling memoir, Foo investigates the repercussions of complex PTSD (C-PTSD) caused by her abusive parents and her subsequent estrangement from each of them in turn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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Someone that was that abusive to children in plain sight doesn’t deserve to be celebrated as a human being.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Her pictures, which start innocently enough from the puppy-dog idea, get increasingly demeaning.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
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Leadership was abusive, inappropriate and demeaning, employees told The Denver Post.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Critics are sometimes contemptuous of the way superhero entertainment has been embraced by adults, who should presumably be making their way through the Booker Prize longlist.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 Apr. 2026
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Sara Hershkowitz’s wildly contemptuous Queen adds further soprano glory.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Over the offseason, the Chicago Cubs outfielder inexplicably made some derogatory comments about fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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Thom Brennaman lost his job because of it (for using a derogatory term toward homosexuals in a hot-mic moment).—
Annie Heilbrunn,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Denigrative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denigrative. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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