Cause to seem less serious; play down.

synonyms: belittle, derogate, minimize.

Dutch: afwijken, denigreren, bagatelliseren, kleineren

Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.

synonyms: asperse, besmirch, calumniate, defame, slander, smear, smirch, sully.

Roget 431: be black etc. adj.; render black etc. adj.. blacken, infuscate^†, denigrate; blot, blotch; smutch^†; smirch; darken etc. 421.    black, sable, swarthy, somber, dark, inky, ebony, ebon, atramentous^†, jetty; coal-black, jet-black; fuliginous^†, pitchy, sooty, swart, dusky, dingy, murky, Ethiopic; low-toned, low in tone; of the deepest dye.    black as jet etc. n., black as my hat, black as a shoe, black as a tinker's pot, black as November, black as thunder, black as midnight; nocturnal etc. (dark) 421; nigrescent^†; gray etc. 432; obscure etc. 421.    ... show more

Dutch: kleineren, denigreren, smaden, roddelen, kwaadspreken, vals beschuldigen, bekladden, belasteren, bezwadderen, lasteren, schandaliseren, zwartmaken ... show more