Discredited

To discredit something or someone is to cause them to seem untrustworthy or unreliable. This can involve damaging their reputation, casting doubt on their claims, or revealing flaws in their arguments or evidence. The process often involves proving something false or severely undermining its credibility, leading to a loss of respect or belief in the subject. It implies a significant loss of confidence due to exposure of inaccuracies, dishonesty, or incompetence.

Discredited meaning with examples

• The politician's opponents worked tirelessly to discredit his proposed legislation by highlighting its potential negative impacts and associating it with unpopular policies. Their efforts successfully eroded public support.
• After the scientist's research methods were found to be flawed and data manipulated, his findings and overall reputation were thoroughly discredited within the scientific community. No one took his research seriously.
• The eyewitness's testimony was discredited during cross-examination when it became apparent that they had a strong personal bias and a history of making false statements, weakening the prosecution's case.
• The company's marketing campaign was discredited after it was revealed that it was based on deceptive claims about the product's effectiveness, leading to consumer distrust and significant financial losses.