What does "derogatory" mean?
A tradeline on a credit report that indicates negative credit history.
Derogatory
/dɪˈɹɑɡəˌtɔɹi/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A tradeline on a credit report that indicates negative credit history.
- Grammar: derogatory is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: disparaging, abasing, abusive, apish.
- Useful contrasts: honorific, laudatory, complimentary.
- Usage evidence: You don't need to say it in such derogatory terms.
How to use "derogatory"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "derogatory" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "derogatory" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "derogatory" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "derogatory" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "derogatory" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "disparaging" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "derogatory", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A tradeline on a credit report that indicates negative credit history.
Adjective
- 1 Disparaging.
"It was perfectly plain, that fast and far as scandal flies, Lady Anne's words, when derogatory to the Count, and that beloved wife, for whose sake they would have been most resented, had never reached their retreat in Devonshire, much less followed them to distant Italy."
- 2 Tending to derogate usually
"The Tories […] knew that […] the House which should be the first to come to a resolution would have a great advantage over the other. […] The Commons had determined that, on Monday the twenty-eighth of January, they would take into consideration the state of the nation. The Tory Lords therefore proposed, on Friday the twenty-fifth, to enter instantly on the great business […]. But […] Devonshire moved that Tuesday the twenty-ninth should be the day. “By that time,” he said with more truth than discretion, “we may have some lights from below which may be useful for our guidance.” His motion was carried; but his language was severely censured by some of his brother peers as derogatory to their order."
- 3 Tending to derogate:; Reducing the power or value of (a governmental body, etc); detracting from. usually
"Acts of Parliament derogatory from the power of subsequent Parliaments bind not."
- 4 Tending to derogate:; Lessening the worth of (a person, etc); expressing derogation; insulting. usually
"Billie Jean King said Friday that the Australian Open’s Margaret Court Arena should have its name changed because of Court’s derogatory comments about gay and transgender people."
- 5 Being or pertaining to a derogatory clause.
Adjective
- 1 expressive of low opinion wordnet
Example
"You don't need to say it in such derogatory terms."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "derogatory"?
Common synonyms include: disparaging, abasing, abusive, apish, back-biting, belittling.
How do you use "derogatory" in a sentence?
You don't need to say it in such derogatory terms.
How do you pronounce "derogatory"?
Pronounced /dɪˈɹɑɡəˌtɔɹi/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin dērogātōrius, from Latin dērogō; corresponding to derogate + -ory.