disrepute

noun

dis·​re·​pute ˌdis-ri-ˈpyüt How to pronounce disrepute (audio)
: lack or decline of good reputation : a state of being held in low esteem

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When to Use Disrepute

A reputation can be easy to lose, and someone who is no longer respectable may eventually find he's become genuinely disreputable—the kind of person that almost no one wants to be seen with. Disrepute isn't only for individuals: A company may fall into disrepute as a result of news stories about its products' defects; drug scandals have brought entire sports into disrepute; and a scientific theory may fall into disrepute as a result of new discoveries.

Choose the Right Synonym for disrepute

disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, infamy, ignominy mean the state or condition of suffering loss of esteem and of enduring reproach.

disgrace often implies humiliation and sometimes ostracism.

sent home in disgrace

dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

Examples of disrepute in a Sentence

The theory has been in disrepute for years. a once proud name fallen into disrepute
Recent Examples on the Web That includes violating the basic rules of decent conduct, insulting a person through offensive gestures or language and behaving in a way that brings FIFA or the sport into disrepute. Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2023 September 4, 2023 Charles’s mother Queen Elizabeth II was said to have initially disproved of the relationship, partly because her son’s affair with Parker-Bowles had brought the family into disrepute, and reportedly left the wedding celebration to watch horse racing in another room. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2023 By the time the Rolling Stones visited in 1967, the city known as the Door of Africa had descended into disrepute. Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023 The two disruptive figures operate on different ends of the political spectrum, yet both achieved success in similar ways and have fallen into disrepute for similar reasons. Allysia Finley, WSJ, 20 Nov. 2022 Because such people possessed no special skill or status, the word gradually fell into disrepute. San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2023 But in recent years, this puritanical approach to managing the ups and downs of the economy had fallen into disrepute. Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post, 27 May 2022 But at some point these approaches came into disrepute, at least in their most overt manifestations. New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022 Russia has been banned from competing in this year's Eurovision Song Contest after the European Broadcasting Union ruled that their inclusion would bring the competition into disrepute. Terry Baddoo, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disrepute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disrepute was in 1637

Dictionary Entries Near disrepute

Cite this Entry

“Disrepute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disrepute. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

disrepute

noun
dis·​re·​pute ˌdis-ri-ˈpyüt How to pronounce disrepute (audio)
: loss or lack of good reputation : disgrace

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