libel

1 of 2

noun

li·​bel ˈlī-bəl How to pronounce libel (audio)
1
a
: a written statement in which a plaintiff in certain courts sets forth the cause of action or the relief sought
b
archaic : a handbill especially attacking or defaming someone
2
a
: a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression
b(1)
: a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt
(2)
: defamation of a person by written or representational means
(3)
: the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene writings or pictures
(4)
: the act, tort, or crime of publishing such a libel

libel

2 of 2

verb

li·​bel ˈlī-bəl How to pronounce libel (audio)
libeled or libelled; libeling or libelling ˈlī-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce libel (audio)

intransitive verb

: to make libelous statements

transitive verb

: to make or publish a libel against (see libel entry 1)
libeler noun
libelist noun

Examples of libel in a Sentence

Noun To meet the Supreme Court's definition of libel involving a public figure, a quotation must not only be made up or materially altered. It must also defame the person quoted, and damage his or her reputation or livelihood … Jane Gross, New York Times, 5 June 1993
It is relevant to note that in 1987 the suit against Ms. Malcolm was dismissed … in a narrow ruling that stated that even if the quotations were "false and mischievous," Ms. Malcolm's alterations did not represent malicious intent and therefore did not constitute libel. Fred W. Friendly, New York Times Book Review, 25 Feb. 1990
The above is not only a flat lie but a political libel which may possibly damage me. Publish it at your peril … Bernard Shaw, letter, 16 Sept. 1949
In their tiresome addiction to this use of alleged, the newspapers, though having mainly in mind the danger of libel suits, can urge in further justification the lack of any other single word that exactly expresses their meaning; but the fact that a mud-puddle supplies the shortest route is not a compelling reason for walking through it. Ambrose Bierce, Write It Right, 1909
He sued the newspaper for libel. The newspaper was found guilty of libel. The newspaper's attorneys argued that the article was not a libel. Verb And in Oklahoma last year, lawyers filed a class-action suit against a group supporting tort reform, saying they had libeled trial lawyers. Judith Miller, New York Times, 11 June 1996
Government officials, he observed, were public servants who remained accountable to the people and therefore could not be libeled for their performance in office. Leonard W. Levy, Emergence of a Free Press, 1985
The jury found that the article libeled him. the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
One of the academics who helped oversee and coordinate the search, former University of Leicester official Richard Taylor, is suing Coogan, his production company Baby Cow and Pathé Productions for libel. Leslie Katz, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Fox News agreed to pay nearly $800 million last year to settle a libel suit filed by Dominion Voting Systems over false claims the company’s machines manipulated the results of the 2020 election. Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 The third friend, who is himself an ex-boyfriend of hers, sends a string of voice notes advising her about libel laws. Hazlitt, 7 Feb. 2024 Trump continued to deny the allegations and accused Daniels of lying, leading her to file a second lawsuit against him on libel charges. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 5 Feb. 2024 RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 1 star Crystal has won a high-profile libel suit against British actor and conservative activist Laurence Fox. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2024 Consensual fake pornographic videos, though, would not be protected under exceptions to the First Amendment that include libel, defamation and profanity, the journal wrote. Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 In honor of the historic matchup, a player very familiar to both, Aaron Rodgers, will appear for a pregame ceremony where the former Packers QB will throw out the first libel. Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2024 The standard of being a public figure in libel cases is critical because proving a case in court is more difficult against a public figure under the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in New York Times vs. Sullivan, which was decided by the nation’s highest court in 1964 in favor of the newspaper. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2024
Verb
This quickly arose this question: What happens when somebody libels somebody in an online forum? The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 10 May 2023 Don't libel anybody, and mind your language. Karen Martin, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2020 The jury of nine began deliberations on Friday afternoon and on Tuesday said the newspaper did not libel the former vice presidential nominee through a 2017 editorial. Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2022 Its self-righteous blinders have led it to reflexively libel even accomplished scholars. A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 26 July 2021 The real industry is the network of academics, lawyers, activists, and funders who libel and slander critics of Islamism, even those who cautiously stipulate between Islam and Islamism. A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 26 July 2021 Krull said one of the main things to consider is whether Dakich libeled or defamed anyone. Dana Hunsinger Benbow, Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2020 In 1964, the US Supreme Court, in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, raised the standard for public officials to prove they’d been libeled in their official capacity by news organizations. BostonGlobe.com, 9 Mar. 2020 There’s no law against defaming, slandering or libeling the dead. Danielle Bacher, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'libel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, written declaration, from Anglo-French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of libel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near libel

Cite this Entry

“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libel. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

libel

1 of 2 noun
li·​bel ˈlī-bəl How to pronounce libel (audio)
1
: something spoken, written, or drawn that injures a person's good name
2
: the act or crime of publishing a libel

libel

2 of 2 verb
libeled or libelled; libeling or libelling
: to hurt by a libel
libeler noun
or libeller
-b(ə-)lər
Etymology

Noun

Middle English libel "a written statement, little book" from early French libel (same meaning), from Latin libellus, "little book," from liber "book" — related to library

Word Origin
The ancient Romans used the Latin noun liber to refer to the inner bark of a tree. Because this material was used to write on before the introduction of papyrus to Rome from Egypt, liber came to be applied to a written document, especially a lengthy one. After papyrus became common, a liber was usually an entire papyrus scroll, hence a "book." Libellus, the diminutive form of liber, was borrowed into French as libelle, which was in turn borrowed into English as libel. Originally libel was used in the sense "little book," but in the 1500s handbills and leaflets, being likened to little books, were also called libels. Because they were a popular means of spreading gossip about famous people, the meaning of libel was extended to such injurious statements as well as to the crime of writing them.

Legal Definition

libel

1 of 2 noun
li·​bel ˈlī-bəl How to pronounce libel (audio)
1
: complaint sense 1
used especially in admiralty and divorce cases
2
a
: a defamatory statement or representation especially in the form of written or printed words
specifically : a false published statement that injures an individual's reputation (as in business) or otherwise exposes him or her to public contempt
b
: the publication of such a libel
c
: the crime or tort of publishing a libel see also single publication rule, New York Times Co. v. Sullivan compare defamation, slander

Note: Although libel is defined under state case law or statute, the U.S. Supreme Court has enumerated some First Amendment protections that apply to matters of public concern. In New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, the Court held that in order to recover damages a public person (as a celebrity or politician) who alleges libel (as by a newspaper) has to prove that “the statement was made with ‘actual malice’ — that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not” in order to recover damages. The Court has also held that the states cannot allow a private person to recover damages for libel against a media defendant without a showing of fault (as negligence) on the defendant's part. These protections do not apply to matters that are not of public concern (as an individual's credit report) and that are not published by a member of the mass media. A libel plaintiff must generally establish that the alleged libel refers to him or her specifically, that it was published to others, and that some injury (as to reputation) occurred that gives him or her a right to recover damages (as actual, general, presumed, or special damages). The defendant may plead and establish the truth of the statements as a defense. Criminal libel may have additional elements, as in tending to provoke a breach of peace or in blackening the memory of someone who is dead, and may not have to be published to someone other than the person libeled.

libel

2 of 2 transitive verb
libeled also libelled; libeling also libelling
1
: to make or publish a libel against : to hurt the reputation of by libel
respondent's complaint alleged that he had been libeled by statements in a full-page advertisementNew York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)
2
: to proceed against in law by filing a libel (as against a ship or goods)
several French ships were libeled in BostonJ. K. Owens
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book

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