You don't need to say it in such derogatory terms.
Source: tatoeba (1205579)
Derogatory
/dɪˈɹɑɡəˌtɔɹi/
Synonyms for "derogatory" (129 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (26)
Strong matches (39)
Related words (64)
Noun(14 words)
Adjective(20 words)
moronicmotherfuckingoffendingopprobriouspejorativepejorative descriptorpejorative epithetscornfulsenileshrewishslummysnidespasticstupidtinpottoadyishtransphobicwimpiestwomanishworthless
Verb(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: disparaging, abasing, abusive, apish, back-biting.
- Sentence evidence is available for derogatory, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "derogatory".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "derogatory"
Keep "derogatory" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "derogatory" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "derogatory", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "derogatory" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entrieslinguistic evaluationnegative connotationnegative evaluationpejorative usage
More specific
6 entriesdemeaning labeldemeaning phrasedenigrating terminsulting toneracial slursexist remark
Collocations
6 entriesderogatory commentderogatory epithetderogatory languagederogatory remarkderogatory stereotypederogatory term
Inflections
2 entriesmore derogatorymost derogatory
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
80 translations across 33 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- neerhalend adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Arabic
2 entries- حَقِير adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- دَنِيء adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Bulgarian
2 entries- подценяващ adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- пренебрежителен adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Catalan
2 entries- despectiu adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pejoratiu adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 贬义 adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Czech
3 entries- hanlivý adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pohrdavý adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- ponižující adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Danish
1 entries- nedsættende adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Dutch
3 entries- beledigend adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- denigrerend adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- kleinerend adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Finnish
2 entries- alentava adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- halventava adj (tending to lessen the value of)
French
2 entries- dépréciatif adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- péjoratif adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Galician
3 entries- despectivo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- desprezativo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pexorativo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
German
4 entries- abfällig adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- abwertend adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- beleidigend adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pejorativ adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Greek
2 entries- μειωτικός adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- υποτιμητικός adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Hebrew
1 entries- פּוֹגֵעַ adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Hindi
1 entries- अपमानजनक adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Hungarian
4 entries- elítélő adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- lefitymáló adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- lekicsinylő adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- lenéző adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Indonesian
3 entries- bersifat merugikan orang lain adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- menghina adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- yg menghina adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Italian
4 entries- contumelioso adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- ingiurioso adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- insultante adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- offensivo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Korean
2 entries- 경멸적 adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- 멸시적 adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Macedonian
2 entries- погрден adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- потценувачки adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- nedsettende adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- nedsetjande adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Persian
1 entries- تحقیرآمیز adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Polish
2 entries- pejoratywny adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pogardliwy adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Portuguese
3 entries- depreciativo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- derrogatório adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pejorativo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Romanian
4 entries- defavorabil adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- denigrator adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- depreciativ adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- derogatoriu adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Russian
3 entries- презри́тельный adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- пренебрежи́тельный adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- уничижи́тельный adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Slovak
3 entries- pejoratívny adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- uberajúci na hodnote adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- znevažujúci adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Spanish
3 entries- denigrante adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- despreciativo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- menospreciativo adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Swedish
1 entries- nedsättande adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Turkish
3 entries- aşağılayıcı adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- küçümseyici adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- pejoratif adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Ukrainian
2 entries- знева́жливий adj (tending to lessen the value of)
- прини́жуючий adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Welsh
1 entries- dirmygus adj (tending to lessen the value of)
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
She made some derogatory remarks about her colleagues.
Source: tatoeba (1216634)
The drunken men made derogatory remarks toward the women in the club.
Source: tatoeba (1415698)
Her derogatory remarks towards her boss caused her to lose her job.
Source: tatoeba (1507510)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "derogatory"?
Closest matches include disparaging, abasing, abusive, apish, back-biting.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "derogatory"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.