aspersion
Other forms: aspersions
An aspersion is a disparaging remark. It almost invariably appears as a plural, following the word "cast" — when you cast aspersions on someone, you are questioning their abilities or doubting them.
Finding out that a field-hockey coach had never played the sport might cast aspersions on her ability to coach it. Wendy's ads don't come out and say that McDonald's hamburgers are made out of cardboard, but through shot after shot of their own thick and juicy and oddly square offering, they cast aspersions on the quarter-pounder.
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a disparaging remarksynonyms: slurtypes:ethnic slura slur on someone's race or languagetype of:
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an abusive attack on a person's character or good namesynonyms: calumny, defamation, denigration, slandertype of:attackstrong criticism
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the act of sprinkling water in baptism (rare)synonyms: sprinklingtype of:baptisma Christian sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth
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Vocabulary lists containing aspersion
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From unfair insults to false accusations made intentionally to harm a person's reputation, there's no shortage of vocabulary for dishonest verbal attacks.