vilification

noun

vil·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌvi-lə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce vilification (audio)
1
: the act of vilifying : abuse
2
: an instance of vilifying : a defamatory utterance

Examples of vilification in a Sentence

warned that the constant vilification of candidates for public office was undermining the people's faith in the political system
Recent Examples on the Web This broad vilification of hunters was already underway when CPW commissioners met for their first meeting of the year in Denver last week. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 Jan. 2024 Simultaneously, and mostly from outside the courtroom, Trump has mounted a sustained campaign of vilification against the prosecutors, the courts, the Biden Administration, and the very idea that he should be held accountable for anything. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2023 With his gruff yet commanding presence and behind-the-scenes manipulation of power, Mr. Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, earning both vilification and the Nobel Peace Prize. Nancy Benac, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Nov. 2023 Other high-profile Black women who have faced such vilification include former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, the GOAT Serena Williams, and Duchess Megan Markle. Kushie Amin, refinery29.com, 30 Oct. 2023 The vilification of Isiah Thomas began in his prime playing years. Rich Cohen, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2023 The vilification of youth climate activists has continued since then—particularly of Thunberg, who U.S. Atlas members have accused of everything from simply not understanding how the economy works to being part of a media conspiracy. Amy Westervelt, The New Republic, 12 Sep. 2023 Nancy Pelosi has for years been the target of right-wing demonization — vilification that culminated around 2 a.m. on Oct. 28, when prosecutors say DePape broke into Pelosi’s home. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2022 These elements include not just the intense vilification of Native Americans as the principal antagonists of the British colonial world, but more importantly, the central influence that Native peoples had upon the formation of American national identity. Sophia Nguyen, Washington Post, 16 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vilification.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vilification was in 1630

Dictionary Entries Near vilification

Cite this Entry

“Vilification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vilification. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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