as in criticizing
formal
to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted
He impugned his rival's character. Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impugning
Verb
-
Acknowledging and even criticizing our mistakes of the past doesn’t cheapen one’s love for the United States.
-
The movie continues its tradition of addressing social issues, this time focusing on human equality and colonial looting, with pointed dialogue criticizing the British Empire.
Verb
-
It should be noted that this is not about blaming medication or the people who rely on it.
-
The victim's mother also addressed the jury, blaming Rullan for her son's depression and anxiety and describing the emotional toll the abuse had taken on their family.
Verb
-
During Democratic presidencies, which the DSA mostly spends denouncing the occupant of the Oval Office as a sellout, Democratic loyalists have less patience for factional complaints.
-
The crisis that healthcare professionals on and off the island have been denouncing for years has mobilized nonprofit health organizations in Miami, which are preparing to act immediately in the event sociopolitical change comes to the island.
Verb
-
Videos circulating on social media over the weekend showed residents confronting military personnel, accusing them of standing by while civilians carried out rescue operations with little official assistance.
-
Carroll sued Trump shortly thereafter, accusing him of defamation.
Verb
-
Lot is often described in the Qurʾān, and in subsequent interpretive traditions, in the role of condemning the men of Sodom for lusting after men rather than women.
-
Officials in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also came out with statements on Saturday condemning Iran.
Cite this Entry
“Impugning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impugning. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
