derogate
/ˈdɛrəɡeɪt
/verb formal
1 [no object] (derogate from) Detract from: this does not derogate from his duty to act honestly and faithfully...
- To view s 104 in this way is not to deny the mandatory nature of the duty, nor to derogate from previous authorities - and there is reference to them.
- The Naga way of life and cultural and economic bonds among all the Naga peoples can surely be strengthened without derogating from the integrity of any other Indian State.
- This is a long standing principle and we will not derogate from it,’ replied an official.
Synonyms
detract from, devalue, diminish;
reduce, lessen, lower, depreciate, take away from;
demean, cheapen, defame
2 [no object] (derogate from) Deviate from (a set of rules or agreed form of behaviour): one country has derogated from the Rome Convention...
- Any objective standard would inevitably be uncertain, thus derogating from the ‘rule of law’ principles of maximum certainty and fair warning.
- However, in the case of total or partial non-payment, Member States may derogate from this rule.
- Well, your Honour, as I said, it is possible to envisage rules of court that would derogate from section 34.
Synonyms
deviate, diverge, depart, take away, digress, veer, swerve, drift, stray;
differ, vary;
change;
conflict with, be incompatible with
3 [with object] Disparage (someone or something): it is typical of him to derogate the powers of reason...
- Enumerating the right of freedom of speech neither enhanced its previous protection nor derogated the protection afforded other liberties not enumerated.
- It blatantly derogates national laws and constitutions while providing extensive powers to global banks and multinational corporations.
- The authors noted that their respondents did not seem to recognize that they derogated women for behaviors they accepted for themselves, as in this comment.
Synonyms
disparage, denigrate, belittle, diminish, deprecate, downplay, detract from, deflate, decry, discredit, cast aspersions on, downgrade, slight, run down, criticize, defame, vilify, abuse, insult, attack, speak ill of, speak evil of, pour scorn on
informal bad-mouth, do a hatchet job on, take to pieces, pull apart, throw mud at, drag through the mud, slate, have a go at, hit out at, lay into, tear into, knock, slam, pan, bash, hammer, roast, skewer, bad-mouth, throw brickbats at
British informal rubbish, slag off, monster
North American informal pummel, dump on
Australian/New Zealand informal bag
archaic contemn
rare vituperate, asperse, vilipend
Derivatives
derogative
- The expression used to be derogative, especially during ‘cultural revolution’ but nowadays, if you say someone is ‘petty bourgeois’, he will probably take it as a compliment.
- Jonny replies, ‘I don't see it as derogative - it is of course reductive and simplistic but it sells a serious number of books that otherwise wouldn't be sold.
- How can you describe him in such derogative terms with no experience of his personality or behaviour?
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin derogat- 'abrogated', from the verb derogare, from de- 'aside, away' + rogare 'ask'.