English vocabulary · C1
Denigrate
/ˈdɛnɪɡreɪt/ · v.
It means to attack someone's worth unfairly. You say bad things to make a person feel small.
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Example sentences
- The boss denigrated her work in front of the team.
- Critics denigrate new artists to seem powerful.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- de — down (from Latin)
- nigr — black (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- BELITTLE — make someone feel less (Makes You Feel Small)
- DEMEAN — hurt someone's dignity (Lowers Your Dignity)
- DISPARAGE — speak of as worthless (Dismisses Your Value)
Words with the same root
nigr — black
- negro — historical word for black color
- nigrescent — becoming dark or black
Lesson notes
Denigrate. It means to attack someone's worth unfairly. You say bad things to make a person feel small.
Similar words are belittle, demean, and disparage. Use denigrate when someone attacks another person's worth with words.
The boss denigrated her work in front of the team. Critics denigrate new artists to seem powerful.
From Latin. de- means down. nigr- means black. To paint someone down and black: that is to denigrate.