English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com

denigrare — meaning in English

Italian → English · translate English → Italian instead

English meaning

  • backbite verb To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
  • besmirch verb To make dirty.
  • denigrate verb To criticize so as to besmirch; traduce, disparage or defame.
  • knock verb To strike something, especially a door, sharply with the knuckles or an object.
  • slander noun A false spoken statement that damages someone's reputation.
  • slur noun An offensive or insulting remark, especially one targeting a person's group identity.
  • smear verb To spread a soft or sticky substance across a surface, often messily.
  • stultify verb To stunt, inhibit (progress, ideas, etc.) or make dull and uninteresting, especially through routine that is overly restrictive or limiting.
  • vilify verb To say defamatory things about someone or something; to speak ill of.

Senses

denigrare is used for these senses in English:

  • backbite To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
  • besmirch (transitive) To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation.
  • denigrate (transitive) To criticise so as to besmirch; traduce, disparage or defame.
  • knock (transitive, colloquial, originally, US) To criticize verbally; to denigrate; to undervalue.
  • slur To cover over; to disguise; to conceal; to pass over lightly or with little notice.
  • smear (transitive, derogatory) To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about them, their statements, or their actions.
  • stultify (transitive, dated) To cause to appear foolish; to deprive of strength; to stupefy. [from early 19th c.]
  • stultify (transitive, archaic, originally, law) To prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence. [attested from late 17th c.]

backbite — full definition

  1. verb To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
  2. verb To attack from behind or when out of earshot with spiteful or defamatory remarks.
  3. verb To speak badly of an absent individual.

besmirch — full definition

  1. verb To make dirty.
  2. verb To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation.

Related Italian words