N. underestimation, depreciation, pessimism, pessimist, undervaluing, modesty

V. underrate, underestimate, undervalue, underreckon, depreciate, disparage, not do justice to, misprize, disprize, ridicule, slight, neglect, slur over, make light of, make little of, make nothing of, make no account of, belittle, minimize, think nothing of, set no store by, set at naught, shake off as dewdrops from the lion's mane

Adj. depreciating, depreciated, unvalued, unprized

N. detraction, disparagement, depreciation, vilification, obloquy, scurrility, scandal, defamation, aspersion, traducement, slander, calumny, obtrectation, evil-speaking, backbiting, scandalum magnatum, personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade, chronique scandaleuse, roorback, sarcasm, cynicism, criticism (disapprobation) 932, invective, envenomed tongue, spretae injuria formae, personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade, chronique scandaleuse, roorback, detractor

V. detract, derogate, decry, deprecate, depreciate, disparage, run down, cry down, backcap, belittle, sneer at, criticize, pull to pieces, pick a hole in one's coat, asperse, cast aspersions, blow upon, bespatter, blacken, vilify, vilipend, avile|, give a dog a bad name, brand, malign, muckrake, backbite, libel, lampoon, traduce, slander, defame, calumniate, bear false witness against, speak ill of behind one's back, fling dirt, anathematize, dip the pen in gall, view in a bad light, impugn, assail, attack, oppose, denounce, accuse

Adj. detracting, defamatory, detractory, derogatory, deprecatory, catty, disparaging, libelous, scurrile, scurrilous, abusive, foul-spoken, foul-tongued, foul-mouthed, slanderous, calumnious, calumniatory, sarcastic, sardonic, sarcastic, satirical, cynical, critical

Phr. "damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer; and without sneering, teach the rest to sneer", another lie nailed to the counter, "cut men's throats with whisperings", "foul whisperings are abroad" "soft-buzzing slander", "virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes"