Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb denigrate

2 senses of denigrate

Sense 1
minimize, belittle, denigrate, derogate -- (cause to seem less serious; play down; "Don't belittle his influence")
       => disparage, belittle, pick at -- (express a negative opinion of; "She disparaged her student's efforts")

Sense 2
defame, slander, smirch, asperse, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch -- (charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone; "The journalists have defamed me!" "The article in the paper sullied my reputation")
       => charge, accuse -- (blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against; "he charged the director with indifference")

Antonyms of adj denigrating

1 sense of denigrating

Sense 1
calumniatory, calumnious, defamatory, denigrative, denigrating, denigratory, libellous, libelous, slanderous -- ((used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign)

INDIRECT (VIA harmful) -> harmless -- (not causing or capable of causing harm; "harmless bacteria"; "rendered the bomb harmless")

Similarity of adj denigrating

1 sense of denigrating

Sense 1
calumniatory, calumnious, defamatory, denigrative, denigrating, denigratory, libellous, libelous, slanderous -- ((used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign)
       => harmful (vs. harmless) -- (causing or capable of causing harm; "too much sun is harmful to the skin"; "harmful effects of smoking")