What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
denigrate
Example
It's not fair to denigrate someone just because they have a different opinion than you. [denigrate: verb]
Example
The media has been trying to denigrate the politician's reputation with false accusations. [denigrating: gerund or present participle]
deprecate
Example
I don't mean to deprecate your efforts, but I think we can do better. [deprecate: verb]
Example
The artist's work was unfairly deprecatory by the critics. [deprecatory: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Deprecate is more commonly used than denigrate in everyday language. Deprecate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while denigrate is less common and more formal, often used in academic or legal contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between denigrate and deprecate?
While denigrate is typically associated with a more formal tone, deprecate is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
