VILIFY

[verb] [T] [formal] - to say or write unpleasant things about (someone or something), in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of themLindy Chamberlain was vilified by society after being convicted of murdering her baby daughter.He said that the press had been vilifying homosexuals for years.When it was discovered that he had been operating as a spy, he was vilified as a traitor.