to defame

Examples

• All

• She threatened to sue anyone who would defame her in public.

• A liberty interest is the right of a teacher not to have their reputation defamed.

  Academic text (2010)

• How dare you defame his poor father?

  Victoria & Abdul (2017)

• And most likely in a way that defames you and makes you look bad.

• I have interrupted a broadcast from your President in which he attempted to defame a brave young woman.

  The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)

• If you don't like what someone says, you either defame them or sue them.

  Blog text (8)

• I hope Dale takes legal action against everyone who defamed his business for damages.

  Blog text (2)

• The bishops want to make expressions that insult or defame religious beliefs illegal.

  Blog text (5)

• The five dissidents accused of publicly defaming the chamber were suspended and then expelled from CANACINTRA.

  Academic text (2000)

• Osama Bin Laden is now dead; he has betrayed Islam and defamed and betrayed Muslims and their religion.

  Blog text (26)

Synonyms

T

to take down

vsto defame

• Informal

82 5.1

To say cruel things to make people think less of someone

is focused on false malicious statements rather than public shaming alone

D

to discredit

vsto defame

78 6.3

To harm someone's reputation so others stop trusting them

describes the act of making false malicious statements that produce that result

B

to brand

vsto defame

52 4.1

To publicly label someone in a negative way

involves false malicious statements rather than mainly applying a negative label

S

to smear

vsto defame

49 6.1

To make false or unfair statements to hurt someone's reputation

is the general act of harming reputation, not only public campaigns

D

to denigrate

vsto defame

40 7.8

To say bad things about someone without a good reason to make them seem less important

requires false or malicious statements rather than merely unfair criticism

V

to vilify

vsto defame

39 7.9

To say or write bad things about someone to harm them

stresses false malicious claims rather than only abusive tone

S

to slander

vsto defame

• Specialized

31 6.3

To say false things that damage someone's reputation

is the same harmful false speech but not limited to spoken form

M

to malign

vsto defame

30 7.7

To say harmful or false things about someone to hurt them

focuses specifically on false malicious statements rather than general spite

S

to sully

vsto defame

25 7.6

Make someone's good name seem bad

is narrower, requiring false malicious statements rather than general soiling

B

to besmirch

vsto defame

• Formal

15 8.8

Make a person or company look bad by saying bad things about them

targets deliberate false statements that harm reputation specifically

D

to drag through the mud

vsto defame

• Informal

13 7.9

To speak badly about someone in public to hurt their reputation

is the same reputational harm but defined by false malicious statements specifically

U

to undermine credibility

vsto defame

10 6.6

Make people trust someone or something less

is the harmful false speech that can lead to that weakened credibility

T

to tarnish reputation

vsto defame

8 6.0

Damage the respect and good opinion people have of someone or something

describes the false malicious actions that specifically cause that reduction

L

to libel

vsto defame

• Specialized

4 8.2

To make a false written statement that harms someone's reputation

is similar but not limited to any single medium of publication

D

to derogate

vsto defame

1 8.4

Say or do things that make someone seem less respected

requires that the attack uses false malicious statements specifically

S

to smirch

vsto defame

• Archaic

1 9.9

To damage someone's name by saying false things about them

covers that malicious false attack more broadly without special tone

C

to calumniate

vsto defame

• Formal

1 9.9

To say false things about someone to harm their reputation

applies the same false malicious attack but as a general term

A

to asperse

vsto defame

• Formal

1 9.9

To say things that are not true about someone to hurt their reputation

is the broader term for harming reputation through false claims

Antonyms

S

to support

∞ 1.0

Give help to a person or idea

C

to commend

85 4.4

To praise someone or something for good work

How Damaging

to libel

• Specialized

4 8.2

to slander

• Specialized

31 6.3

to defame

• Formal

19 6.8

to disparage

33 7.7

to criticize

653 3.3

Surface Forms

Etymology