as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the governor's office issued a statement accusing the state's largest newspaper of libel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to smear
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of libel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, 30 Aug. 2024
Francis Ford Coppola is suing Variety for libel after the Hollywood trade outlet published a story that alleged inappropriate behavior by the director towards female extras on the set of his upcoming film Megalopolis.
—Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for libel 
Noun
In 2018, a Brooklyn judge dismissed a libel suit against two reporters related to a 2015 investigation into a group of for-profit nursing homes.
—Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, 30 Aug. 2024
Francis Ford Coppola is suing Variety for libel after the Hollywood trade outlet published a story that alleged inappropriate behavior by the director towards female extras on the set of his upcoming film Megalopolis.
—Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2024
Verb
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
See all Example Sentences for libel
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.
Thesaurus Entries Near libel
Cite this Entry
“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libel. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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