asperse: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal/Literary
Quick answer
What does “asperse” mean?
To attack the reputation or integrity of someone by making false or damaging statements.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To attack the reputation or integrity of someone by making false or damaging statements.
To sprinkle or scatter something, as with liquid (archaic).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Equally formal and rare in both dialects.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both; slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical or legal texts.
Grammar
How to Use “asperse” in a Sentence
asperse [somebody] ([with something])asperse [something] ([with something]) (archaic)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “asperse” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- It is a serious matter to publicly asperse a judge's impartiality.
- The pamphlet sought to asperse the entire committee.
American English
- The lawyer warned the witness not to asperse the defendant's character.
- Political ads often asperse opponents with vague insinuations.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; may appear in formal accusations of corporate defamation: 'The CEO sued the newspaper for attempting to asperse the company's good name.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism or historical analysis of character assassination: 'The biographer took care not to asperse her subject without evidence.'
Everyday
Virtually never used; 'bad-mouth' or 'slander' are common alternatives.
Technical
Occurs in legal terminology regarding defamation and libel cases.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “asperse”
- Using 'asperse' in casual conversation.
- Incorrect: 'He aspersed about her work.' Correct: 'He aspersed her work.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very formal and rare word. Most native speakers would use 'slander', 'defame', or 'bad-mouth' instead.
'Asperse' is the verb. 'Aspersion' is the noun, most commonly used in the fixed phrase 'to cast aspersions on' someone, meaning to make critical or damaging remarks about them.
Historically, yes. It comes from the Latin 'aspergere' meaning 'to sprinkle'. This literal meaning is now obsolete and only the figurative meaning ('to sprinkle with damaging words') survives.
It is exclusively a transitive verb.
To attack the reputation or integrity of someone by making false or damaging statements.
Asperse is usually formal/literary in register.
Asperse: in British English it is pronounced /əˈspɜːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /əˈspɜːrs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to cast aspersions on”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A SPERSE person spreads nasty SPEECH.' The 'sper' in both 'asperse' and 'speech' links to the idea of verbal attack.
Conceptual Metaphor
REPUTATION IS CLEANLINESS / To asperse is to throw dirt on a clean reputation.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, modern meaning of 'asperse'?