SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
derogatory
adjective
Expressing disrespect or a low opinion of someone or something.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Expressing disrespect
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topPejorative often describes a word's negative force; derogatory can describe an entire remark.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See derogatory in use
The editor removed a derogatory description that added nothing to the argument.
The fictional landlord's derogatory descriptions of his tenants reveal contempt rather than offering a balanced account of their conduct.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license