What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
denigrate
Example
He denigrated his colleague's work in front of their boss. [denigrated: past tense verb]
Example
The article denigrates the efforts of the local community to improve the park. [denigrates: present tense verb]
vilify
Example
The politician was vilified by the media for his controversial statements. [vilified: past tense verb]
Example
She was vilified on social media for her unpopular opinion. [vilified: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Denigrate is more commonly used than vilify in everyday language. Denigrate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while vilify is less common and often used in more extreme situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between denigrate and vilify?
Both denigrate and vilify can be used in formal or informal contexts. However, denigrate is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
