infamize
Definition
- Verb:
- To make infamous: "infamize" means to cause someone or something to become famous for a negative reason, typically by bringing disgrace or dishonor upon them.
- To defame or slander: It can also refer to the act of damaging someone's reputation through malicious speech or actions.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- The scandal sought to infamize the politician, making him a household name for all the wrong reasons. (To make someone notorious through disgrace.)
- The journalist attempted to infamize the company by publishing false accusations. (To damage reputation through slander.)
Advanced Usage
"to infamize oneself": to bring disgrace upon oneself through one's own actions.
- By cheating in the competition, he managed to infamize himself among his peers. (He brought dishonor to his own name.)
"to infamize a group": to cause a collective to be viewed with ignominy.
- The leader's corrupt practices served to infamize the entire organization. (The group became disgraced as a result.)
Variants and Related Words
Infamy (noun): the state of being well known for a bad quality or deed.
- The dictator's infamy spread across the globe. (His evil reputation was widely known.)
Infamous (adjective): well known for some bad quality or deed.
- The infamous prison was feared by all. (The prison was notorious for its harsh conditions.)
Synonyms
- Defame: to damage the good reputation of someone.
- Disgrace: to bring shame upon.
- Vilify: to speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner.
Phrasal Verbs
Related Idioms
To drag through the mud: to publicly criticize or humiliate someone, causing infamy.
- The tabloids dragged the celebrity's name through the mud, effectively seeking to infamize him. (To ruin reputation through public shame.)
To make a name for oneself (in a bad way): to become known for negative reasons.
- His reckless behavior made a name for himself, but only to infamize his family. (To gain notoriety through disgrace.)