Word Study
vilify
CIDE DICTIONARY
vilify, v. t. [L. vilis vile + -fy; cf. L. vilificare to esteem of little value.].
- To make vile; to debase; to degrade; to disgrace. [1913 Webster]"When themselves they vilified
To serve ungoverned appetite." [1913 Webster] - To degrade or debase by report; to defame; to traduce; to calumniate. I. Taylor. [1913 Webster]"Many passions dispose us to depress and vilify the merit of one rising in the esteem of mankind." [1913 Webster]
- To treat as vile; to despise. [1913 Webster]"I do vilify your censure." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
vilify, v.tr. (-ies, -ied) defame; speak evil of.
Derivative
vilification n. vilifier n.
Etymology
ME in sense 'lower in value', f. LL vilificare (as VILE)
THESAURUS
vilify
abuse, asperse, assail, attaint, bad-mouth, bark at, berate, besmirch, bespatter, betongue, blacken, blackguard, blaspheme, blot, blow upon, brand, call names, calumniate, censure, curse, cuss out, damn, debase, decry, defame, defile, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, depreciate, devalue, diminish, disapprove, disparage, engage in personalities, epithet, epithetize, execrate, expose, expose to infamy, fulminate against, gibbet, hang in effigy, heap dirt upon, jaw, libel, load with reproaches, malign, mistreat, misuse, muckrake, outrage, pillory, rag, rail at, rate, rave against, reprimand, revile, run down, slander, slur, smear, smirch, soil, speak ill of, stain, stigmatize, sully, swear, swear at, taint, tarnish, tear down, throw mud at, thunder against, tongue-lash, traduce, vituperate, yell at, yelp atROGET THESAURUS
vilify
Disrepute
VB be inglorious, incur disgrace, have a bad name, earn a bad name, put a halter round one's neck, wear a halter round one's neck, disgrace oneself, expose oneself, play second fiddle, lose caste, pale one's ineffectual fire, recede into the shade, fall from one's high estate, keep in the background, be conscious of disgrace, look blue, look foolish, look like a fool, cut a poor figure, cut a sorry figure, laugh on the wrong side of the mouth, make a sorry face, go away with a flea in, one's ear, slink away, cause shame, shame, disgrace, put to shame, dishonor, throw dishonor upon, cast dishonor upon, fling dishonor upon, reflect dishonor upon, be a reproach, to, derogate from, tarnish, stain, blot sully, taint, discredit, degrade, debase, defile, beggar, expel, impute shame to, brand, post, stigmatize, vilify, defame, slur, cast a slur upon, hold up to shame, send to Coventry, tread under foot, trample under foot, show up, drag through the mire, heap dirt upon, reprehend, bring low, put down, snub, take down a peg, take down a peg lower, take down a peg or two, obscure, eclipse, outshine, take the shine out of, throw into the shade, cast into the shade, overshadow, leave in the background, put in the background, push into a corner, put one's nose out of joint, put out, put out of countenance, upset, throw off one's center, discompose, disconcert, put to the blush.Disrespect
VB hold in disrespect, misprize, disregard, slight, trifle with, set at naught, pass by, push aside, overlook, turn one's back upon, laugh in one's sleeve, be disrespectful, be discourteous, treat with disrespect, set down, put down, browbeat, dishonor, desecrate, insult, affront, outrage, speak slightingly of, disparage, vilipend, vilify, call names, throw dirt, fling dirt, drag through the mud, point at, indulge in personalities, make mouths, make faces, bite the thumb, take by the beard, pluck by the beard, toss in a blanket, tar and feather, have in derision, hold in derision, deride, scoff, barrack, sneer, laugh at, snigger, ridicule, gibe, mock, jeer, hiss, hoot, taunt, twit, niggle, gleek, gird, flout, fleer, roast, turn into ridicule, burlesque, laugh to scorn, smoke, fool, make game of, make a fool of, make an April fool of, play a practical joke, lead one a dance, run the rig upon, have a fling at, scout, mob.Disapprobation
VB disapprove, dislike, lament, object to, take exception to, be scandalized at, think ill of, view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes, nil admirari, disvalue, improbate, frown upon, look grave, bend the brows, knit the brows, shake the head at, shrug the shoulders, turn up the nose, look askance, look black upon, look with an evil eye, make a wry face, make a wry mouth at, set one's face against, dispraise, discommend, disparage, deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of, condemn, blame, lay blame upon, cast blame upon, censure, fronder, reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn, remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate, reprehend, chide, admonish, berate, betongue, bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order, take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book, read a lesson, read a lecture to, rebuke, correct, reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete, overhaul, give it one, give it one finely, gibbet, accuse, impeach, denounce, hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration, expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize, show up, pull up, take up, cry 'shame' upon, be outspoken, raise a hue and cry against, execrate, exprobate, speak daggers, vituperate, abuse, abuse like a pickpocket, scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of, jaw, rail, rail at, rail in good set terms, bark at, anathematize, call names, call by hard names, call by ugly names, avile, revile, vilify, vilipend, bespatter, backbite, clapperclaw, rave against, thunder against, fulminate against, load with reproaches, exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against, decry, cry down, run down, frown down, clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist, draw up a round robin, sign a round robin, animadvert upon, reflect upon, glance at, cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon, insinuate, damn with faint praise, hint a fault and hesitate dislike, not to be able to say much for, scoff at, point at, twit, taunt, sneer at, satirize, lampoon, defame, depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, take exception, cavil, peck at, nibble at, carp at, be censorious, pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat, make a fuss about, take down, take down a peg, set down, snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles, throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden, have a fling, have a snap at, have words with, pluck a crow with, give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue, incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt, get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears, take blame, stand corrected, have to answer for.Detraction
VB detract, derogate, decry, deprecate, depreciate, disparage, run down, cry down, backcap, belittle, sneer at, criticize, pull to pieces, pick a hole in one's coat, asperse, cast aspersions, blow upon, bespatter, blacken, vilify, vilipend, avile, give a dog a bad name, brand, malign, muckrake, backbite, libel, lampoon, traduce, slander, defame, calumniate, bear false witness against, speak ill of behind one's back, fling dirt, anathematize, dip the pen in gall, view in a bad light, impugn (disparage the motives of), assail, attack, oppose, denounce, accuse.For further exploring for "vilify" in Webster Dictionary Online