as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
the reviewer used the pejorative word "versifier" to refer to the writer, whose poems had struck a responsive chord with the general public
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pejorative
And that was not a pejorative term.
—
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Liborio speaks with a mix of rage and despondence about his situation; complaining about the pejorative labels those around him call him to diminish his existence.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
This is not a pejorative statement.
—
Jason Pettigrew,
SPIN,
9 Mar. 2026
Over the years, the term has come to have a slightly pejorative slant, signifying a marginal kook who never quite made it into leading-lady territory.
—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pejorative
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Liborio speaks with a mix of rage and despondence about his situation; complaining about the pejorative labels those around him call him to diminish his existence.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
This is not a pejorative statement.
—
Jason Pettigrew,
SPIN,
9 Mar. 2026
Over the years, the term has come to have a slightly pejorative slant, signifying a marginal kook who never quite made it into leading-lady territory.
—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pejorative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pejorative
Adjective
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Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.
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What Florence has been doing is consistent and insulting.
Adjective
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The law, passed in 2024, prohibits K-12 public schools from using any derogatory Native American term for athletic team mascots, names or nicknames.
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For one thing, Aniya never said anything derogatory about KC, which even the guys must grumpily acknowledge to be true.
Adjective
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According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, 37-year-old Adam Mazur-Baker was arraigned Tuesday on one count of using a computer to commit a crime and one count of malicious use of telecommunications services.
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This command executes malicious code inside the AppleScript directly.
Adjective
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This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.
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Some women who filed lawsuits against Ortega reported they had been confused about whether demeaning or uncomfortable actions the doctor engaged in during exams was within the bounds of necessary medical behavior.
Adjective
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Felix points to Trump’s disparaging and false comments against Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, which put a target on the back of many Haitian immigrants.
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The irony is that Trump has been more disparaging and dismissive of the military than any other president.
Adjective
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Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.
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Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.
Adjective
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The man didn’t catch Serena’s contemptuous expression, however, too busy peeling bills from a money clip and pressing them into his date’s hand.
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The fantasy of transforming a cold or contemptuous man through the sheer force of one’s love has caused real harm, and the critique of it is warranted.
Adjective
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Tribunals have been appointed, and Coriolanus’ scornful elitism strikes them as too heavy a price for his military protection.
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Atletico did not believe this was a serious attempt to sign the player, and reacted with more angry and scornful social media posts.
Cite this Entry
“Pejorative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pejorative. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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