denigrating

USAGE SUMMARY

'denigrating' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe people who express dislike or disapproval of someone or something in a disrespectful way. For example, "The blogger's denigrating comments about the politician were inappropriate and offensive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They tend to imagine people are "more critical, competitive, denigrating or otherwise unwelcoming" than they really are.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Overall, he said, "was not prepared to go and talk to Menzies about it because he knew what a royalist Menzies was and it would be rather denigrating to the royal family to imagine that he'd been responsible for... moving that statue".

The Guardian

On Thursday, CNN hit back, calling his behaviour "sad" and accusing Morgan of denigrating Cooper in an attempt to get a new TV job.

The Guardian

Together with his practice of denigrating those who disagreed with him, it is easy to see why he failed to build the coalition's essential machine for real change: ministers should always remember that it is teachers and parents who actually deliver change in schools, not politicians.

The Guardian

In the three weeks to the end of September, just 8% of the ads in the presidential race were devoted to praising a candidate, rather than denigrating him.Since the start of the campaign, Mr Obama and his supporters have warned that big-spending right-wing groups were about to release a torrent of ads that would skew the race in Mr Romney's favour.

The Economist

He has lambasted Mr Ahmadinejad for denigrating the protesters who called for reform as "dust and dirt".But Messrs Rohani and Aref face formidable conservative opponents.

The Economist

But under Mr Miliband, who appears sympathetic to the leftist education establishment that hates Mr Gove's reforms ("the blob", the education secretary calls it), Labour disowned the principle of school autonomy without quite denigrating the practice.

The Economist

Outside his own country, he often comes across as something of a buffoon; he started the trend for denigrating Finnish food and famously likened a German member of the European Parliament to a concentration-camp guard.

The Economist

Moreover, he has done so without conceding an inch to the scheme's critics, whom he accuses of a "bizarre kind of reverse elitism, which tolerates failing comprehensives whilst denigrating any suggestion of diversity .There is no doubt that Mr Johnson is intensely ambitious.

The Economist

The interior minister said that the "repeated abuse" of the right to freedom of expression could no longer be accepted, and that protests would be permitted only once security and stability were restored.Victoire Ingabire, a Rwandan opposition leader and former presidential candidate, was found guilty on two charges of terrorism and denigrating the 1994 genocide.

The Economist

But the saddest feature of the past few months has been the spread on both sides of the Atlantic of commentary denigrating the other side using just such caricatures.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "denigrating" when you want to describe the act of unfairly criticizing or discrediting someone or something. Ensure the context supports the negative connotation.

Common error

Avoid using "denigrating" when a simple criticism or evaluation is intended. "Denigrating" carries a strong negative connotation, suggesting an unfair or malicious intent to diminish something. Use words like "critiquing" or "assessing" instead if there's no intent to demean.

Linguistic Context

"Denigrating" functions as a present participle or gerund, often used as part of a verb phrase to describe an ongoing action of unfairly criticizing or belittling someone or something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this word is appropriate in the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "denigrating" is a versatile word functioning as a present participle or gerund, frequently found in news and media, encyclopedias, and scientific sources. Its purpose is to convey disapproval and highlight the act of unfairly diminishing something. Ludwig AI confirms its validity in the provided examples. When writing, remember to use "denigrating" when you wish to express a strong negative connotation and imply unfairness or malice, and avoid it in neutral contexts where simple criticism is intended. Be aware of alternatives such as "disparaging" or "belittling" to fine-tune your message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disparaging

Focuses more on casting something in a negative light.

belittling

Emphasizes making something seem unimportant or insignificant.

criticizing

Implies expressing disapproval or finding fault.

defaming

Focuses on damaging someone's reputation with false statements.

slandering

Refers to making false and damaging spoken statements about someone.

vilifying

Suggests portraying someone as evil or wicked.

deprecating

Implies expressing disapproval of oneself or one's achievements.

running down

An informal way to say you're criticizing or disparaging someone.

casting aspersions on

Suggests making damaging or unfavorable remarks.

impugning

Implies challenging or questioning someone's character or integrity.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "denigrating" in a sentence?

Use "denigrating" to describe actions that unfairly criticize or belittle something. For instance, "The article was accused of "denigrating the efforts" of local volunteers."

What are some alternatives to using "denigrating"?

Depending on the context, you can use "disparaging", "belittling", or "criticizing" as alternatives to "denigrating".

Is there a difference between "denigrating" and "criticizing"?

"Denigrating" implies an unfair or malicious intent to diminish something, while "criticizing" simply means expressing disapproval or pointing out faults.

When is it appropriate to use "denigrating" versus "deprecating"?

"Denigrating" is used to describe the act of belittling others or their work. "Deprecating", on the other hand, often refers to self-deprecation or expressing disapproval of oneself.