malign
[verb]
Synonyms:
- disparage, abuse, defame, denigrate, libel, run down, slander, smear, vilify
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- evil, bad, destructive, harmful, hostile, injurious, malevolent, malignant, pernicious, wicked

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Antonyms: benign
Contrasted words: auspicious, favorable, propitious, fortunate, happy, lucky, providential, benignant, kind, kindly, acclaim, applaud, eulogize, extol, laud, praise, defend, justify, maintain, vindicate
Related Idioms: blow upon, cast aspersion(s) on (or upon)
Related Words: baneful, deleterious, detrimental, injurious, noxious, pernicious, antagonistic, antipathetic, hostile, inimical, decry, depreciate, derogate, detract, disparage, opprobriate, revile, vituperate, backbite, besmirch, defile, pollute, smirch, soil, stain, sully, taint, tarnish

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ma‧lign¹ /məˈlaɪn/ verb [transitive usually passive]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: malignier 'to do evil, deceive', from Late Latin malignari, from Latin malignus; ⇒ malign²]
to say unpleasant things about someone that are untrue Synonym : slander:
She had seen herself repeatedly maligned in the newspapers.
a much maligned politician

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. malign² adjective formal
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: maligne, from Latin malignus, from male 'badly' + gigni 'to be born']
harmful Antonym : benign:
a malign influence

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲