| verb | cause to seem less serious; play down “Don't belittle his influence” |
| verb | charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone “The journalists have defamed me!” |
| minimization | noun | the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position |
| minimum | noun | the smallest possible quantity |
| denigrative | adjective | (used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign |
| denigration | noun | a belittling comment |
| derogative | adjective | expressive of low opinion |
| derogatory | adjective | expressive of low opinion |
| derogation | noun | a communication that belittles somebody or something |
| defamatory | adjective | (used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign |
| defamation | noun | a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions |
| defamer | noun | one who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel |
| slander | noun | an abusive attack on a person's character or good name |
| slanderer | noun | one who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel |
| smirch | noun | an act that brings discredit to the person who does it |
| aspersion | noun | a disparaging remark |
| denigratory | adjective | (used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign |
| calumny | noun | a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions |
| smear | noun | slanderous defamation |