tr.v. den·i·grat·ed, den·i·grat·ing, den·i·grates 1. To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame: "Speakers before the United States Chamber of Commerce rarely denigrate the businessman as an economic force" (John Kenneth Galbraith). 2. To disparage; belittle: The movie critics denigrated the director's latest film. See Synonyms at disparage. [Latin dēnigrāre, dēnigrāt-, to blacken, defame : dē-, de- + niger, nigr-, black; see nekw-t- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] den′i·gration n. deni·gra′tor n. |
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