Denigrate
Etymology
From Latin denigrare, "to blacken," from de- (intensive) plus nigrare, "to make black," from niger, "black." Literally to smear with black; the figurative sense — to blacken a name or reputation — followed the same logic as the modern "smear campaign."
verb · /DEN-ih-grayt/
To criticize unfairly in order to damage someone’s or something’s reputation.
What it names
The verb for running a thing down — belittling it, often to make it seem worthless or beneath notice.
Example
It’s easier to denigrate a rival’s work than to match it.
Related idea
Disparage suggests dismissive belittling; denigrate leans toward active blackening of reputation, closer to defamation.