Antonyms for vilify


Grammar : Verb
Spell : vil-uh-fahy
Phonetic Transcription : ˈvɪl əˌfaɪ


Definition of vilify

Origin :
  • mid-15c., "to lower in worth or value," from Late Latin vilificare "to make cheap or base," from Latin vilis "cheap, base" (see vile) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Meaning "to slander, speak evil of" is first recorded 1590s. Related: Vilified, vilifying.
  • verb criticize very harshly
Example sentences :
  • "Even that may be more pardonable than to vilify a good one," said Mary.
  • Extract from : « The Martins Of Cro' Martin, Vol. I (of II) » by Charles James Lever
  • Oh, fling him into a crater; that will teach him to vilify his betters.
  • Extract from : « The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to prose. Volume I (of X) - Greece » by Various
  • If you are his friend, why do you vilify and slander him behind his back?
  • Extract from : « The Mask » by Arthur Hornblow
  • If they were not impartial, this man would never have dared to vilify them.
  • Extract from : « A Sketch of the Life of the late Henry Cooper » by William Cooper
  • The vulgar, wherever he passed, were instigated to reproach and vilify him.
  • Extract from : « The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.I., Part E. » by David Hume
  • To vilify another is foolish; to repeat it, is the function of a rogue.
  • Extract from : « The Eugenic Marriage, Vol. 3 (of 4) » by W. Grant Hague
  • An it be a constable, I'll vilify him, and be lodged in the Counter yet.
  • Extract from : « Captain Ravenshaw » by Robert Neilson Stephens
  • The priestly party in Madrid, in the meantime, spared no effort to vilify me.
  • Extract from : « The Bible in Spain » by George Borrow
  • The Levitical party in Madrid have, in the meantime, spared no effort to vilify me.
  • Extract from : « Letters of George Borrow » by George Borrow
  • For Grover Cleveland there were no longer enemies to traduce and vilify.
  • Extract from : « Under Four Administrations » by Oscar S. Straus

Synonyms for vilify

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019