Complimentary
Complimentary adjective - Expressing approval.
Usage example: the novel received overwhelmingly complimentary reviews
Derogatory is an antonym for complimentary.
Nearby Words: compliment, complimented
Derogatory
Derogatory adjective - Intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value.
Usage example: fans made a steady stream of derogatory remarks about the players on the visiting team
Both words in one sentence
- He did not use it in a complimentary way, but it has since then come to be adopted as vaguely affectionate term when used by people who acknowledge the shortfalls of the type but still enjoy it, while remaining a completely derogatory term to those who dislike the type.
Source: Thud and Blunder
Cite this Source
Derogatory and Complimentary. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 08, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/complimentary/derogatory
Complimentary & Derogatory. N.p., 2016. Web. 08 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/complimentary/derogatory>.
Derogatory or Complimentary. 2016. Accessed August 08, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/complimentary/derogatory.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "complimentary" and "derogatory" have occurred on timeline