defame

verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām 

dē-

defamed; defaming

transitive verb

1

law : to harm the reputation of by communicating false statements about : to harm the reputation of by libel (see libel entry 1 sense 2a) or slander (see slander entry 2 sense 2)

defamed her character

2

archaic : accuse

defamed of witchcraft

3

archaic : disgrace

defamer noun

Synonyms

• asperse
• blacken
• calumniate
• libel
• malign
• slander
• smear
• traduce
• vilify

Choose the Right Synonym for defame

malign, traduce, asperse, vilify, calumniate, defame, slander mean to injure by speaking ill of.

malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.

the most maligned monarch in British history

traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.

so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.

both candidates aspersed the other's motives

vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.

no criminal was more vilified in the press

calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.

falsely calumniated as a traitor

defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.

sued them for defaming her reputation

slander stresses the suffering of the victim.

town gossips slandered their good name

Examples of defame in a Sentence

He says he was defamed by reports that falsely identified him as a former gangster.

of course I want to win the election, but I refuse to defame my opponent in order to do so

Recent Examples on the Web

Sandmann sued, saying the news coverage had unfairly defamed him. —Andrew Wolfson, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024

In his civil suit, Wilson accuses Netflix of defaming him and his son by knowingly manipulating his words and involvement in the admissions scandal. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024

Favre, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member who lives in Mississippi, filed lawsuits in February 2023 accusing White and two national sportscasters of defaming him in public discussions about welfare misspending. —Emily Wagster Pettus, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2024

Last year, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was held liable for defaming two Georgia election workers. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 28 Mar. 2024

Earlier this year, the former president took the stand in a New York defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, in which he was ordered to pay $83 million for defaming her. —Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2024

Then, this month, he was hit with an additional penalty of $83.3 million in damages for continuing to defame Carroll. —Adam Reiss, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024

The new narrative is that Clanton was somehow framed by an unnamed enemy who—for motives that remain unclear—fabricated the racist texts to defame her. —Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024

While in January, a judge ruled Trump must pay the writer E. Jean Carroll $83 million for defaming her. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French deffamer, diffamer, from Medieval Latin defamare, alteration of Latin diffamare, from dis- + fama reputation, fame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

defame

verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām 

defamed; defaming

: to injure or destroy the reputation of : speak evil of : libel

defamation

ˌdef-ə-ˈmā-shən

noun

defamatory

di-ˈfam-ə-ˌtōr-ē

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

defamer noun

Legal Definition

defame

transitive verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām 

defamed; defaming

: to make the subject of defamation

defamer noun

Etymology

Medieval Latin defamare, alteration of Latin diffamare to spread news of, defame, from dis-, prefix marking dispersal or removal + fama reputation