asperse
verb
transitive verb
Did you know?
Asperse Has Latin Roots
You may be more familiar with the idea of "casting aspersions" than with aspersing, although they mean essentially the same thing; the word aspersion can mean "a sprinkling with water" or, more commonly, "a false or misleading charge meant to harm someone's reputation." Both asperse and aspersion are descendants of the Latin verb aspergere, meaning "to sprinkle." Asperse is the older word, dating to at least 1490; aspersion is known to have first appeared in print in English in the latter half of the 1500s.
Synonyms
- blacken
- calumniate
- defame
- libel
- malign
- slander
- smear
- traduce
- vilify
Example Sentences
Word History
Latin aspersus, past participle of aspergere, from ad- + spargere to scatter — more at spark
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
asperse
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- libel
- malign
- smear
- defame
- slander
- disgrace
- calumniate
- discredit
- humiliate
- vilify
- belittle
- disparage
- traduce
- dishonor
- denigrate
- shame
- blacken
- disdain
- detract
- debase
- humble
- degrade
- abase
- scorn
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- honor
- exalt
- glorify
- commend
- respect
- regard
- praise
- applaud
- admire
- esteem
- acclaim
- worship
- adore
- revere
- venerate
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of asperse are calumniate, defame, malign, slander, traduce, and vilify. While all these words mean "to injure by speaking ill of," asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.
The words calumniate and asperse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.
The words defame and asperse can be used in similar contexts, but defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.
The synonyms malign and asperse are sometimes interchangeable, but malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.
The meanings of slander and asperse largely overlap; however, slander stresses the suffering of the victim.
In some situations, the words traduce and asperse are roughly equivalent. However, traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.
Although the words vilify and asperse have much in common, vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.