Maligning: meaning, definitions and examples

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maligning

 

[ məˈlaɪnɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

negative comments

Maligning means to speak about someone in a spitefully manner, suggesting negative things that may not be true. It often involves the intent to harm someone's reputation.

Synonyms

belittle, defame, slander, vilify

Examples of usage

  • The journalist was accused of maligning the politician in his article.
  • Avoid maligning others in conversations; it's harmful and unfair.
  • She felt hurt when her friends started maligning her character.

Translations

Translations of the word "maligning" in other languages:

🇵🇹 difamando

🇮🇳 बदनाम करना

🇩🇪 verleumden

🇮🇩 menjelekkan

🇺🇦 наклеп

🇵🇱 zniesławianie

🇯🇵 中傷する

🇫🇷 diffamer

🇪🇸 difamar

🇹🇷 karalamak

🇰🇷 비방하다

🇸🇦 تشويه السمعة

🇨🇿 pomlouvání

🇸🇰 ohováranie

🇨🇳 中伤

🇸🇮 obrekati

🇮🇸 dýrka

🇰🇿 қаралаушы

🇬🇪 გალანძღვა

🇦🇿 təhqir etmək

🇲🇽 difamar

Etymology

The word 'malign' originates from the Latin word 'malignus', which means 'evil' or 'spiteful'. It has evolved through Middle English into its current form. Maligning, as a verb form, implies an action of speaking ill of someone, often with malevolent intent. The use of the term has been prevalent since the 15th century, particularly associated with defamatory speech and slander. The negative connotation of the word has remained consistent throughout its usage in legal, social, and interpersonal contexts. Historically, it reflects societal concerns about reputation and the influence of words on public perception.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,911, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.