to delegitimize

Examples

• All

• His comment sought to delegitimize both her project on women writers and her own talent as a writer.

  Academic text (1996)

• Some characterize the Palestinians' UN bid as an attempt to achieve statehood unilaterally or to delegitimize Israel.

  Academic text (2011)

• Human rights do not, and should not, delegitimize traditional culture as a whole.

  Academic text (2001)

• The idea was that the media would then attempt to delegitimize the Obama administration.

  Blog text (8)

• In all this, Obama and the Democrats are not just attempting to delegitimize the conduct of the past eight years.

  Academic text (2009)

• They attempt to delegitimize one of the most talented men to enter American politics in three generations.

  2016: Obama's America (2012)

• The process of democratic politics could, in itself, isolate and delegitimize political parties that justify violence.

  Academic text (2006)

• "U.S. President Barack Obama has warned the Palestinians that efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure."

  Academic text (2011)

• Judging by Israel's growing international isolation, the OIC's sustained effort to delegitimize the Jewish state has borne substantial fruit.

  Academic text (2011)

• Many activists are working to delegitimize the unfair practices of the current administration.

Synonyms

D

to discredit

vsto delegitimize

78 6.3

To harm someone's reputation so others stop trusting them

targets legitimacy and public acceptance rather than only reputation

D

to demonize

vsto delegitimize

• Literature

70 7.1

Make a person, group, or thing seem evil and dangerous, often unfairly

aims to remove accepted status rather than simply paint moral evil

D

to diminish

vsto delegitimize

53 4.7

Make a person or thing seem less important

aims at reducing formal or legal acceptance rather than mere importance

B

to belittle

vsto delegitimize

52 5.0

To make someone or something seem not important

is about making acceptance or validity seem doubtful rather than smallness

D

to demean

vsto delegitimize

43 6.8

To make someone feel less respected or important

targets legal or public acceptability rather than personal dignity

D

to denigrate

vsto delegitimize

40 7.8

To say bad things about someone without a good reason to make them seem less important

is about denying formal validity rather than merely attacking reputation

D

to disparage

vsto delegitimize

33 7.7

To speak badly about someone or something to show little respect

aims to remove accepted status rather than only express disrespect

S

to stigmatize

vsto delegitimize

• US

23 7.5

Treat someone as shameful and not worthy of respect

is about denying formal legitimacy rather than marking social disgrace

C

to cheapen

vsto delegitimize

20 4.3

To make something seem less valuable, often by lowering its price or quality

focuses on legitimacy and acceptance rather than market or quality loss

D

to devalue

vsto delegitimize

19 5.0

To make something seem less important or respected

focuses on social or legal validity rather than economic value

U

to undermine credibility

vsto delegitimize

10 6.6

Make people trust someone or something less

focuses on making something seem less legitimate or acceptable

V

to villainize

vsto delegitimize

• US

2 6.9

Show someone as evil or the cause of problems

focuses on stripping lawful or social acceptance rather than assigning blame

D

to derogate

vsto delegitimize

1 8.4

Say or do things that make someone seem less respected

focuses on undermining official legitimacy rather than insulting worth

Antonyms

L

to legitimize

• US

34 5.8

To make something legal or officially accepted

How Legitimate

to support

∞ 1.0

to affirm

112 4.1

to question

932 3.5

to challenge

• Formal

433 4.3

to discredit

78 6.3

to delegitimize

• Formal

10 7.7

to invalidate

• Formal

33 6.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology