If you tell the truth about someone can you be accused of denigrating him?

Yes, while telling the truth, your motive for doing so may still be to denigrate him.

Denigrate means to:

• to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame.
• to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage
• to make black; blacken.

So if you are blackening someone's name (even with the truth) you are still denigrating them.

(There is an old adage that says that if you cant say something good then you are probably best not saying anything at all !)

First answer by Fwmh. Last edit by Fwmh. Contributor trust: 224 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 2 [recommend question]