01
abwertend
derogatory
Expressing a negative, disdainful, or disrespectful attitude or opinion; disparaging.
example
Er machte eine abwertende Bemerkung über ihr Kleid.
He made a derogatory remark about her dress.
abwertend
derogatory
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is the present participle of the verb 'abwerten' (to devalue). This consists of the prefix 'ab-' (expresses a reduction) and 'werten' (to assign a value). 'Abwertend' (derogatory) therefore literally means assigning a lower value to someone or something.
EXAMPLE
Sein abwertender Tonfall verletzte sie sehr.
His derogatory tone hurt her very much.
Use in a sentence
'Abwertend' (derogatory) can stand as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb describing a verb. In both cases, it expresses a negative attitude.
EXAMPLE
Das ist eine abwertende Geste.
That is a derogatory gesture.
Typical collocations
Common words combined with 'abwertend' (derogatory) are nouns that describe a statement or behavior. Typical examples are 'abwertende Bemerkung' (derogatory remark), 'abwertender Blick' (disdainful look), or 'abwertender Ausdruck' (derogatory expression).
EXAMPLE
Sie ignorierte seinen abwertenden Blick und setzte ihre Präsentation fort.
She ignored his disdainful look and continued her presentation.
Compare with
abwertend vs negativ
negative
'negativ' and 'abwertend' can both express that something is not meant positively. 'negativ' is more neutral and more general: it can simply be critical or unfavorable. 'abwertend' is stronger and more personal. It means that someone belittles a person or thing, sounds disrespectful, or shows little appreciation. Negative criticism can be objective; derogatory criticism often hurts or comes across as condescending.
abwertend
Wir sprechen nicht abwertend über andere, auch wenn wir anderer Meinung sind.
We do not speak disrespectfully about others, even when we disagree.
negativ
In der E-Mail hat Emil ein paar negative Punkte zum Kurs genannt.
In the email, Emil mentioned a few negative points about the course.
In real life
Loading video examples...