as in libeled
to make untrue and harmful statements about
claimed that she had been vilified by the press because of her conservative views
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Recent Examples of vilified
His presence will also mean that dinner guest lists are closely-watched, with CBS News planning to bring Secretary Pete Hegseth (who has vilified media coverage in press briefings), while the influencer Clavicular is expected to make the rounds as well.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Much of Orbán’s campaign vilified neighboring Ukraine.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Pat Fitzgerald was vilified, then vindicated.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Another signature initiative, the fact-checking news service BBC Verify, is routinely vilified by right-wing news outlets.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Yet, as often as institutional investors have been vilified for scooping up millions of homes, the data doesn’t back up the contention.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
By addressing financiers and corporate executives in Miami, Rodríguez signaled a willingness to engage directly with people her movement once vilified — an acknowledgment that foreign capital, particularly from the United States, will be central to Venezuela’s recovery.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
The Pahlavis, in exile, were vilified, but the family still appeared duty-bound to project the image of Reza as the dynastic heir of Iranian monarchy.
—Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Moura was outspoken in his criticism of Bolsonaro and in turn was vilified by the president.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Much of Orbán’s campaign vilified neighboring Ukraine.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Pat Fitzgerald was vilified, then vindicated.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Another signature initiative, the fact-checking news service BBC Verify, is routinely vilified by right-wing news outlets.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Yet, as often as institutional investors have been vilified for scooping up millions of homes, the data doesn’t back up the contention.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
By addressing financiers and corporate executives in Miami, Rodríguez signaled a willingness to engage directly with people her movement once vilified — an acknowledgment that foreign capital, particularly from the United States, will be central to Venezuela’s recovery.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
The Pahlavis, in exile, were vilified, but the family still appeared duty-bound to project the image of Reza as the dynastic heir of Iranian monarchy.
—Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Moura was outspoken in his criticism of Bolsonaro and in turn was vilified by the president.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilified
Verb
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Greenhaven had racked up years of health violations, including from letting untrained workers administer medications, lacking enough employees to care for people with dementia, and neglecting a resident who smeared feces over his body, bed, floor, and bathroom, the notice said.—
Jordan Rau,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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Many told me the liberal media had smeared them as racists, xenophobes and misogynists.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many trainers of that era maligned Islam and backed policies that violated the rights of ordinary American Muslims in the name of counterterrorism, according to civil liberties watchdogs.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
21 Apr. 2026
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Tucci, who reprises his role as Miranda’s right-hand man Nigel Kipling, opted for Giorgio Armani, while his real life sister-in-law Blunt, who plays the oft maligned first assistant Emily Charlton, looked gorgeous in Schiaparelli spring 2026 couture.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This Mets team, with the second-highest MLB payroll at $369 million, had just been humiliated by a franchise that lost 119 games a year ago.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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One such accusation resulted in a federal lawsuit filed in September in which the former head of the Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind alleged DHS management humiliated and discriminated against him before forcing him out of his job.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Now, the ultimate question of whether Walters slandered Miller will return to the district court.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
29 Jan. 2026
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Jerry Jones slandered my name to Cowboys media and national media for months.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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New Orleans has long been notorious for embracing such scoundrels, a reputation that isn’t exactly helped by the fact that, for many years, disgraced attorneys who lost their licenses in Louisiana and applied for readmission to the bar often got it.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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These brands have pulled sponsorship of Wireless Festival, which disgraced itself recently by scheduling Ye (formerly Kanye West) to headline.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vilified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilified. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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