From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishvilifyvil‧i‧fy /ˈvɪlɪfaɪ/ verb (vilified, vilifying, vilifies) [transitive] formal to say or write bad things about someone or somethingvilify somebody/something for (doing) something Johnson was vilified in the press for refusing to resign. —vilification /ˌvɪlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
vilify• Labour, vilified as likely to spoil the Tory prosperity, remained a weak and uninspiring political force.• Stevens has been vilified by his opponents in the press.• He was never vilified in the press as Robson was.• The problem is to address this kind of thing without vilifying one group and making martyrs of another.• Many welfare opponents vilify recipients as lazy and immoral cheats and con artists.• Governments interested in publicity and propaganda have published much under the impulse of the urge to justify themselves and vilify their opponents.Origin vilify (1400-1500) Late Latin vilificare “to make less valuable”, from Latin vilis ( → VILE) + facere “to make” 