as in to criticize
formal
to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted
He impugned his rival's character. Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impugn
For example, opposition forces, led by Lee, have ruthlessly attacked the first lady, stirring mass protests and impugning her character.
—
Victor Cha, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
If Scarborough is just going to continue to channel the deep state’s refusal to accept the right of Trump to staff his administration by trying to impugn those picks, he’s learned nothing about why so many have such contempt for the legacy media.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Dec. 2024
The positions were clear with every track: Drake was contending with the envy of his peers for his reign on top of the charts despite years of supporting them as collaborators and impugning Kendrick’s credibility as an arbiter of cultural purity and Black pride.
—Shamira Ibrahim, refinery29.com, 9 May 2024
The case would pit Jones and her far-right supporters against the president and his formidable legal and political teams; Clinton allies would use a volley of innuendo to try to impugn Jones’s reputation and undermine her charges.
—David Friend, Washington Post, 27 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for impugn
Victor Cha, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
If Scarborough is just going to continue to channel the deep state’s refusal to accept the right of Trump to staff his administration by trying to impugn those picks, he’s learned nothing about why so many have such contempt for the legacy media.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Dec. 2024
The positions were clear with every track: Drake was contending with the envy of his peers for his reign on top of the charts despite years of supporting them as collaborators and impugning Kendrick’s credibility as an arbiter of cultural purity and Black pride.
—Shamira Ibrahim, refinery29.com, 9 May 2024
The case would pit Jones and her far-right supporters against the president and his formidable legal and political teams; Clinton allies would use a volley of innuendo to try to impugn Jones’s reputation and undermine her charges.
—David Friend, Washington Post, 27 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for impugn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impugn
Verb
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One creative and former National Design Award winner, who has a work visa to be in the U.S., criticized the Trump administration, but declined to comment, due to his residency.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
4 Apr. 2025
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On Wednesday, Trump announced sweeping tariffs that have been mostly criticized by agricultural and food groups for their potential to shrink markets for farmers and raise consumer prices.—
Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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President Donald Trump repeatedly tried to blame water issues and the Los Angeles fires on the Newsom administration’s management of Delta water supplies.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Usually that takes the form of falsely blaming Israel for all Palestinian woes instead of recognizing Hamas's strategy of profiting off death, whether Israeli or Palestinian.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Society of Friends was the first religion to officially condemn that horror, but some meetinghouses—which are known for having benches arranged in egalitarian formations—featured segregated seating for Black members.—
Gail Cornwall,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2025
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Cost Of Reciprocal Tariffs China and other parts of the Asia Pacific region, Europe, large portions of South America, and the rest of North America have strongly condemned U.S. actions as an unreasonable overturning of global order, as Reuters has reported.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But they were accused of wanting a national ID card.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
28 Mar. 2025
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Trump accused of attacking legal system Trump moved against WilmerHale only hours before that firm went to court Friday morning.—
Carrie Johnson,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impugn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impugn. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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