Top 31 Slang For Discredit – Meaning & Usage

In a world where misinformation and fake news run rampant, it’s crucial to be able to discern truth from fiction. Slang for discredit is a powerful tool in your arsenal to help you navigate through the sea of deception. Let’s unravel the language used to cast doubt and discredit, so you can stay informed and empowered in today’s information age.

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1. Trash

When someone is called “trash,” it means they are being heavily criticized or insulted. This term is often used to express strong disapproval or disdain towards a person or thing.

For example, “Don’t listen to him, he’s just trash talking you.”
In a sports context, a fan might say, “That team is trash, they never win.”
A person might comment on a bad movie, saying, “That film was absolute trash, don’t waste your time.”

2. Diss

To “diss” someone means to insult or mock them in a disrespectful manner. It is often done to undermine or discredit the person being targeted.

For instance, “She dissed him in front of everyone, it was brutal.”
In a rap battle, one artist might diss another by saying, “Your rhymes are weak, I’m about to diss you so hard.”
A person might jokingly diss their friend, saying, “You think you’re so cool, but you’re just a nerd. Diss!”

3. Shade

To “throw shade” means to subtly insult or criticize someone, often in a way that is not immediately obvious. It involves making snide or sarcastic remarks to discredit or undermine the person being targeted.

For example, “She threw some serious shade at her ex during her acceptance speech.”
In a group setting, someone might say, “I can’t believe she shaded me like that, right in front of everyone.”
A person might comment on a passive-aggressive remark, saying, “That was some expert-level shade right there.”

4. Roast

To “roast” someone means to mock or ridicule them in a playful or humorous way. It involves making jokes or sarcastic comments to discredit or poke fun at the person being roasted.

For instance, “They roasted him at the comedy club, everyone was laughing.”
During a roast session, a friend might say, “Your fashion sense is so bad, it’s a wonder you have any friends.”
A person might comment on a funny insult, saying, “That was a quality roast, they really got him good.”

5. Drag

To “drag” someone means to publicly criticize or expose them, often in a harsh or blunt manner. It involves pointing out flaws or mistakes to discredit or shame the person being dragged.

For example, “She dragged him on social media for his offensive comments.”
In a heated argument, someone might say, “I’m about to drag you for your hypocrisy.”
A person might comment on a scathing critique, saying, “That article really dragged the author, it was brutal.”

6. Throw shade

“She always throws shade at her coworkers during meetings.”

“He threw shade at his ex-girlfriend by posting a passive-aggressive comment on social media.”
“The celebrity threw shade at the paparazzi by wearing a shirt with their photos on it.”

7. Call out

“She called out her friend for spreading rumors.”

“The politician was called out for making false statements during the debate.”
“The teacher called out the student for cheating on the test.”

8. Clown

“He clowned his friend for wearing mismatched socks.”

“The comedian clowned the audience member who heckled him.”
“She clowned her coworker for making a mistake in front of the boss.”

9. Rip

“He ripped his opponent’s argument apart during the debate.”

“The movie critic ripped the new blockbuster for its lack of originality.”
“She ripped her friend’s fashion choices,“She ripped her friend’s fashion choices, saying they were outdated.”

10. Slam

“The journalist slammed the company for their unethical practices.”

“She slammed her ex-boyfriend in her latest song lyrics.”
“The book reviewer slammed the novel,“The book reviewer slammed the novel, calling it poorly written.”

11. Knock

To criticize or speak negatively about someone or something, often with the intention of discrediting them.

For example, “He always tries to knock my ideas down during meetings.”
A political commentator might say, “They’re trying to knock the candidate’s credibility by focusing on past mistakes.”
In a heated argument, someone might say, “Don’t try to knock me just because you disagree with me.”

12. Burn

To insult or make derogatory remarks about someone, often with the intention of discrediting or humiliating them.

For instance, “He really burned her with that comment.”
A comedian might say, “I love to burn hecklers in the audience.”
In a friendly banter, someone might jokingly say, “You just got burned!”

13. Dissolve

To disprove or invalidate someone’s argument or claim, often with strong evidence or logical reasoning.

For example, “He dissolved their theory with solid facts.”
A scientist might say, “The experiment results dissolve the hypothesis.”
In a debate, one person might dissolve the other’s argument by pointing out logical fallacies.

14. Debunk

To expose a belief, theory, or claim as false or untrue, often with evidence or logical reasoning.

For instance, “The article debunked the myth that vaccines cause autism.”
A journalist might say, “The investigation debunked the conspiracy theory.”
In a discussion, someone might debunk a widely-held belief by presenting contradictory evidence.

15. Expose

To reveal or make public information or secrets that may discredit someone or something.

For example, “The documentary exposed the corruption within the government.”
A whistleblower might expose illegal activities within a company.
In a scandal, someone might say, “The leaked emails exposed the truth behind their actions.”

16. Tarnish

To tarnish someone’s reputation means to damage or ruin their good name or image. It refers to the act of making someone or something appear less trustworthy, reliable, or respectable.

For example, a scandal might tarnish a politician’s reputation, leading to a loss of public trust.
A news article might state, “The allegations have the potential to tarnish the company’s brand.”
In a discussion about celebrity gossip, someone might say, “The tabloids are always trying to tarnish the reputation of famous people.”

17. Denigrate

Denigrate means to belittle or criticize someone or something, often with the intention of damaging their reputation or diminishing their worth.

For instance, a competitor might denigrate a rival company’s products in order to gain a competitive advantage.
In a heated argument, one person might denigrate the other’s intelligence by saying, “You’re just too dumb to understand.”
A critic might denigrate an artist’s work, stating, “The painting lacks originality and skill.”

18. Defame

To defame someone is to spread false information or make damaging statements about them, with the intention of harming their reputation.

For example, a celebrity might sue a tabloid magazine for defamation if they publish false stories about them.
In a legal context, someone might be found guilty of defamation if they make false statements about another person that harm their reputation.
A person might warn others by saying, “Be careful what you say online, as it could lead to defamation lawsuits.”

19. Disparage

To disparage means to speak or write about someone or something in a negative or derogatory way, often with the intention of belittling or diminishing their value or importance.

For instance, a critic might disparage a movie, saying, “The acting was terrible and the plot was poorly developed.”
In a political debate, one candidate might disparage their opponent’s policies, stating, “Their ideas are unrealistic and would lead to economic disaster.”
A person might warn against disparaging others, advising, “It’s better to build people up than to tear them down.”

20. Vilify

Vilify means to portray someone or something as evil, wicked, or deserving of strong condemnation. It involves making false or exaggerated accusations in order to discredit or harm someone’s reputation.

For example, a political campaign might vilify an opponent, spreading rumors and lies to turn public opinion against them.
In a discussion about historical figures, one might argue, “It’s unfair to vilify someone based on the standards of a different time.”
A person might caution against vilifying entire groups of people, stating, “We should focus on understanding and empathy, rather than vilifying those who are different.”

21. Slander

Slander is the act of making false spoken statements about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.

For example, “He spread slanderous rumors about his coworker to get her fired.”
In a legal context, someone might say, “She filed a lawsuit for slander against the tabloid that published false information about her.”
A person defending themselves against slander might declare, “Those are baseless slanderous accusations!”

22. Besmirch

Besmirch means to damage or tarnish someone’s reputation or good name.

For instance, “He tried to besmirch her reputation by spreading false rumors.”
In a political context, someone might say, “Their opponents will stop at nothing to besmirch their character.”
A person defending themselves against false accusations might declare, “I won’t let them besmirch my good name!”

23. Put down

To put someone down means to belittle or criticize them, often with the intention of making them feel inferior.

For example, “He constantly puts down his younger brother, making him feel worthless.”
In a workplace setting, someone might say, “My boss always puts me down in front of my colleagues.”
A person standing up for themselves might declare, “I won’t let you put me down anymore!”

24. Devalue

Devalue means to diminish the worth or importance of something or someone.

For instance, “His negative comments devalue the hard work of the entire team.”
In an economic context, someone might say, “The sudden influx of counterfeit goods devalues the brand.”
A person defending their achievements might declare, “Don’t devalue my accomplishments!”

25. Undermine

To undermine means to weaken or sabotage someone’s efforts or authority.

For example, “He constantly undermines his coworker’s ideas to make himself look better.”
In a political context, someone might say, “The opposition party is trying to undermine the current government’s policies.”
A person standing up for themselves might declare, “I won’t let you undermine my authority!”

26. Dismiss

To reject or ignore something or someone, often in a disrespectful or contemptuous manner. “Dismiss” implies that the subject is not worthy of consideration or attention.

For example, a manager might say, “I dismissed his idea because it wasn’t practical.”
In a debate, one person might dismiss their opponent’s argument by saying, “That’s irrelevant to the topic at hand.”
A teacher might dismiss a student’s excuse by saying, “I don’t want to hear any more excuses.”

27. Belittle

To diminish or make someone or something seem unimportant or inferior. “Belittle” involves making derogatory or condescending comments or actions to discredit or demean.

For instance, a bully might belittle their victim by saying, “You’re so stupid, you’ll never amount to anything.”
In a group setting, one person might belittle another’s achievements by saying, “That’s nothing compared to what I’ve done.”
A parent might unintentionally belittle their child’s efforts by saying, “You could have done better.”

28. Discredit

To cast doubt on the truth or reliability of someone or something, often by presenting evidence or arguments that challenge their credibility or reputation.

For example, a journalist might discredit a politician’s claims by uncovering contradictory evidence.
In a court case, a lawyer might discredit a witness by questioning their motives or presenting contradictory statements.
A rival might try to discredit a business by spreading false rumors about their products.

29. Libel

The act of making false statements about someone in written form with the intent to harm their reputation. Libel is a form of defamation that can lead to legal consequences.

For instance, a celebrity might sue a tabloid for publishing libelous articles about their personal life.
In a heated online argument, one person might accuse another of libel for spreading false information.
A journalist might be sued for libel if they publish false statements about a public figure.

30. Smear

To damage or tarnish someone’s reputation or credibility through the spread of negative information, often through rumor, innuendo, or false accusations.

For example, a political campaign might launch a smear campaign against their opponent by spreading false rumors.
In a corporate setting, one company might try to smear their competitor by spreading negative stories about their products.
A celebrity might be the target of a smear campaign by the media, aiming to ruin their public image.

31. Demean

To belittle someone means to make them feel small or unimportant. It is a form of disrespect and can be used to discredit someone’s opinions or achievements.

For example, “He constantly belittles his coworkers to make himself feel superior.”
A parent might belittle their child by saying, “You’re never going to amount to anything.”
In a debate, one person might belittle their opponent’s argument by saying, “That’s just a silly idea.”