vilifying 1 of 3

noun

as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation the nonstop vilifying had the effect of making some people sympathetic to the victim

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vilifying

2 of 3

adjective

as in insulting

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vilifying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of vilify
as in libeling
to make untrue and harmful statements about claimed that she had been vilified by the press because of her conservative views

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vilifying
Verb
Both factors have spent much of 2026 vilifying Volpe’s play, particularly on defense. — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 By vilifying others, Marx could use moral superiority to legally steal from those who had more. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026 Judge Salas told us vilifying judges is eroding trust in the courts. — Heather Abbott, CBS News, 7 June 2026 This riveting two-part docuseries preceded the fictional take seen in The Girl From Plainville, taking an unprejudiced and empathetic approach when exploring the complex case, presenting all the facts without vilifying one individual. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026 Facebook ads vilifying or praising various measures. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 These efforts apparently relied on a mix of sock-puppet accounts across social media platforms, which promoted the spurious claims of vilifying websites. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026 Southern Poverty Law Center has determined RAIR Foundation is an anti-Muslim hate group promoting conspiracy theories and vilifying American Muslim communities. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026 Orbán began vilifying the EU, often comparing Brussels to the Soviet Union, even while receiving huge amounts of EU money and resisting pressure to reverse democratic backsliding. — Sam McNeil, Arkansas Online, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilifying
  1. libel
  2. insulting
  3. smearing
  4. defamation
  5. demeaning
  6. maligning
  7. vilification
  8. disparaging
Noun
  • Her 2009 memoir The Last Supper, about a summer spent in Italy, resulted in a libel suit.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
  • His contempt for the Jewish state of Israel will lead our city right into a libel suit worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of libel
Adjective
  • Even instances of heckling at games – over performance on the court – felt good-natured, rather than insulting.
    — Odette Yousef, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The adventures of Addison’s titular shilling include being hoarded, offered as a bribe, and sent as an insulting accompaniment to a letter disinheriting a son.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of insulting
Verb
  • At the entrance of Kollparay, Quispe pauses, taking my hands and smearing them with soil—the soil of her village.
    — Paola Miglio, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026
  • This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Definition of smearing
Noun
  • Kessler dismissed Nallasivan’s defamation claim as untimely and tossed out his blacklisting claim for lack of sufficient evidence.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026
  • While the network agreed to a $15 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump in 2024, Zick said losing broadcast licenses would undoubtedly be more costly in the end.
    — BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of defamation
Adjective
  • By demeaning and alienating most people, Capps predicted, the Christian right wing was planting the seeds of its own demise.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The consulting partner who learned precision was never demeaning.
    — Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of demeaning
Verb
  • Policymakers defend draconian cuts to Medicaid by maligning the work ethic or honesty of low-income women, despite substantial evidence to the contrary.
    — Jocelyn Frye, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026
  • Underneath it, the authors of the flyer listed a few dubious talking points maligning immigrants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of maligning
Noun
  • Founders Gary Acosta and Pedro Guerrero highlighted the paradox of Latinos being economic drivers and cultural influencers despite underrepresentation and vilification.
    — Isaac Mizrahi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • If stepping up to guide a community through a crisis risks personal and professional vilification once the lights turn on, the best and brightest will simply choose to stay on the sidelines.
    — Ronald Nahass, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of vilification
Adjective
  • Felix points to Trump’s disparaging and false comments against Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, which put a target on the back of many Haitian immigrants.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The irony is that Trump has been more disparaging and dismissive of the military than any other president.
    — Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of disparaging

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vilifying
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Cite this Entry

“Vilifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilifying. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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