libel

1 of 2

noun

li·​bel ˈlī-bəl 

1

: a defamatory statement or representation especially in the form of written or printed words: such as

a

: a statement published with the knowledge that it is false or with reckless disregard of the truth that injures a public person's reputation (as in business) or otherwise exposes the person to public contempt

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

The above is not only a flat lie but a political libel which may possibly damage me. Publish it at your peril …

—George Bernard Shaw (letter)

b

: a false statement published about a private person that the publisher knew or should have known was false and that injures the person's reputation or causes them other harm

But a private individual can win a libel suit … by proving it [a defamatory statement] was false, but merely negligently said—a much lower standard of proof.

—Douglas J. Johnston

2

a

: the publication of a libelous statement

b

: the crime or tort of publishing a libelous statement

Note: Do not confuse libel with slander, which refers to spoken, rather than written, defamation.

3

: a written statement in which a plaintiff in certain courts sets forth the cause of action and the relief sought

libel

2 of 2

verb

li·​bel ˈlī-bəl 

libeled or libelled; libeling or libelling ˈlī-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to make libelous statements

transitive verb

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

libeler

ˈlī-b(ə-)lər 

noun

libelist

ˈlī-bə-list 

noun

Synonyms of libel

Noun

• defamation
• libeling
• defaming

Verb

• smear
• slander
• disgrace
• defame
• discredit

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

Steve Coogan has settled a libel claim over 2022’s The Lost King after a university academic sued over his depiction in the film. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025

Just look at the amounts that news organizations are paying for libel insurance. —David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

Verb

In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025

As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized. —George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Verb

derivative of libel entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for libel

• bible
• cybele
• scribal
• tribal
• intertribal

Kids Definition

libel

1 of 2 noun

li·​bel ˈlī-bəl 

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 

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 advertisement

—New 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 Boston

—J. K. Owens

Etymology

Noun

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