Roget's Thesaurus

#934. Detraction

Nouns

detraction, disparagement, depreciation, vilification, obloquy, scurrility, scandal, defamation, aspersion, traducement, slander, calumny, obtrectation, evil-speaking, backbiting, scandalum magnatum [Lat.]. personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade; chronique scandaleuse [Fr.]; roorback [U.S.]. sarcasm, cynicism; criticism (disapprobation) 932; invective etc. 932; envenomed tongue; spretae injuria formae [Lat.]. personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade; chronique scandaleuse [Fr.]; roorback [U.S.]. detractor etc. 936.

Verbs

detract, derogate, decry, deprecate, depreciate, disparage; run down, cry down; backcap [U.S.]; belittle; sneer at etc. (contempt) 930; 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 etc. (disrespect) 929; anathematize etc. 932; dip the pen in gall, view in a bad light. impugn (disparage the motives of); assail, attack etc. 716; oppose etc. 708; denounce, accuse etc. 938.

Adjectives

detracting etc. v.; defamatory, detractory, derogatory, deprecatory; catty; disparaging, libelous; scurrile, scurrilous; abusive; foul-spoken, foul-tongued, foul-mouthed; slanderous; calumnious, calumniatory; sarcastic, sardonic; sarcastic, satirical, cynical. critical etc. 932.

Phrases

damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer; and without sneering, teach the rest to sneer [Pope]; another lie nailed to the counter; cut men's throats with whisperings [B. Jonson]; foul whisperings are abroad [Macbeth]; soft-buzzing slander [Thomson]; virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes [Hamlet].