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
In domestic economic policy, trickle-down economics has become a pejorative term.
—
Timothy Meyer, Foreign Affairs, 26 June 2018
Video clips — altered in some instances — together with other visual and audio clips presented out of context have led to inappropriate clinical diagnoses and pejorative terms being used to characterize the opponents.
—Anand Kumar, STAT, 25 June 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story innumerable times and criticizing the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 8 May 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story in a book and on television and criticizing and the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pejorative 
Timothy Meyer, Foreign Affairs, 26 June 2018
Video clips — altered in some instances — together with other visual and audio clips presented out of context have led to inappropriate clinical diagnoses and pejorative terms being used to characterize the opponents.
—Anand Kumar, STAT, 25 June 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story innumerable times and criticizing the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 8 May 2024
In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story in a book and on television and criticizing and the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pejorative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pejorative
Adjective
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Courts should continue to quickly reject his absurd, insulting, and ahistorical legal arguments, which violate the clear text of the 14th Amendment.—
Elizabeth Wydra and Nina Henry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
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For many, the very idea was insulting and represented an abandonment of loyal fans in Birmingham who can’t afford to fly out to the United States.—
Hannah Ryan,
CNN,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Though many consider the term as socially derogatory against Venezuelans, the collaborators looked to reclaim the label through their empowering lyrics.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2025
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The distinction of being a direct-to-video release is a little muddled now that streaming has normalized skipping movie theaters, but Joseph: King of Dreams is very much a direct-to-video release in the obvious, derogatory sense.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Their malicious actions are putting the health of people, especially children, at grave risk, and will surely lead to future public health and migration crises in the U.S. – let alone suffering around the globe.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
3 Feb. 2025
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The sci-fi/horror flick follows a crew aboard a spaceship called Prometheus who, while seeking the answers to humanity’s origin, find a rogue moon that is home to a malicious, advanced alien species.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
People.com,
2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The film playfully critiques certain Muslim customs, but never in a demeaning way, while providing a heartwarming coming-of-age narrative that’s a tad predictable.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Sep. 2019
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Many of the jobs available to young and inexperienced workers are entry-level roles in the retail, restaurant and service industries, and these jobs are often talked about in a demeaning way.—
Brandon Busteed,
Forbes,
14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
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Prior to appearing on Cunningham's show on Monday, Huggins made more disparaging remarks about Xavier.—
Emily DeLetter,
The Enquirer,
10 May 2023
Adjective
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This subsided with unusual speed, however, as cricket fans took instead to sharing the self-deprecatory jokes coming over the border.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
22 June 2019
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Philipps has acquired her 1-million-and-growing Instagram followers through her self-deprecatory humor, raw honesty and vulnerability.—
Sonja Haller,
USA TODAY,
11 July 2018
Adjective
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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.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE.com,
21 Jan. 2022
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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.—
Lorraine Mirabella,
Baltimore Sun,
29 July 2022
Adjective
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The arguments Republicans have made in their opposition to Joe Biden’s contemptuous pardons are pretty compelling.—
Noah Rothman,
National Review,
21 Jan. 2025
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Written by Fielding, Richard Naylor and Jon Brittain, the series followed the contemptuous life of the 18th-century highwayman, known in York, England, as a thief, poacher and killer but whose exploits have been widely romanticized in modern culture.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to pejorative
Thesaurus Entries Near pejorative
Cite this Entry
“Pejorative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pejorative. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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