Standard Lemma guide

asperse

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /əˈspɜːs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /əˈspɝs/
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)s

1

verb

Meaning 1

To sprinkle or scatter (liquid or dust).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To falsely or maliciously charge someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Dublin: John Smith, Volume 2, Book 8, Chapter 8, pp. 126-127, This is indeed a most aggravating Circumstance, which attends unjustly depriving Men of their Reputation; for a Man who is Conscious of having an ill Character, cannot justly be angry with those who neglect and slight him; but ought rather to despise those that affect his Conversation, unless where a perfect Intimacy must have convinced them that their Friend’s Character hath been falsely and injuriously aspersed.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: libel, slander, traduce, assassinate, asperse, backbite, badmouth, befoul, belibel, besmirch, besmear, bewray, blacken, blame, blaze, blemish, blot, blur, calumniate, calumny, chat shit, chat shite, cloud, defame, demonize, denigrate, deprave, depreciate, detract, dirty, discredit, disgrace, disparage, disrepute, diss, drag through the mud, forgab, forspeak, foul, infamize, lampoon, malign, monsterize, muddy, reproach, revile, scandal, shit-talk, slag, smear, smirch, spatter, spot, speak ill of, stab, stain, sully, talk shit, talk shite, talk trash, tarnish, torch, trash-talk, unflatter, vilify, vilipend, villainize, wrong

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The journalists have defamed me!
  • The article in the paper sullied my reputation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: defame, slander, smirch, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: charge, accuse

Narrower terms: assassinate, libel, badmouth, malign, traduce, drag through the mud

History

Etymology

From Latin aspersus, past participle of aspergere.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: клеветя (klevetja) — to falsely charge another
  • Italian: calunniare — to falsely charge another
  • Italian: diffamare — to falsely charge another