as in criticism
an unfair criticism or false accusation meant to damage another's reputation
Let's keep the debate focused on the issues and try to avoid casting aspersions on one another. I don't mean to cast aspersions on his integrity, but I'm not sure I'd trust him with the money.
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Recent Examples of aspersion
Even as China’s coercive capabilities and threatening behavior have rightly focused U.S. attention on the risks to American interests, the absence of clear metrics for success leaves the door open for partisan aspersions of the Biden administration’s approach.
—
Jessica Chen Weiss, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2024
Soon, politicians arrive at the local village to deliver empty sermons about compensation, but aspersions are cast on the dead man and his middle-aged son Ganesh (Nemchand), who are accused of concocting a suicide scheme for a quick payout.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024
The author casts unconfirmed aspersions on the agency.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 23 Dec. 2023
This potential smoking gun could be a destabilizing and demoralizing blow for many members of the Indigenous community, who in the past 12 months also have seen aspersions cast on the heritage of high-profile figures including Sacheen Littlefeather and independent film producer Heather Rae.
—Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for aspersion
Jessica Chen Weiss, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2024
Soon, politicians arrive at the local village to deliver empty sermons about compensation, but aspersions are cast on the dead man and his middle-aged son Ganesh (Nemchand), who are accused of concocting a suicide scheme for a quick payout.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024
The author casts unconfirmed aspersions on the agency.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 23 Dec. 2023
This potential smoking gun could be a destabilizing and demoralizing blow for many members of the Indigenous community, who in the past 12 months also have seen aspersions cast on the heritage of high-profile figures including Sacheen Littlefeather and independent film producer Heather Rae.
—Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for aspersion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspersion
Noun
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The 21-year-old wildlife conservationist and son of famed zookeeper and television personality Steve Irwin further elaborated just why Russell's constructive criticism means so much.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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Chmerkovskiy then also remarked on the public's criticisms about his DWTS tenure.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Play pool, darts or cornhole, and devour a viral-sensation smash burger from their food truck, Jabs.—
Kathryn Streeter,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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After that incident, the department changed its approach and shot the remaining three adults with tranquilizer darts rather than a firearm, then euthanized them on the ground with injections of the type a sick animal might receive when being put to sleep by a veterinarian.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Real war introduces deception, saturation attacks and human failures.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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The worker forced the child onto a bed during the attack, and the child’s head struck the edge of the bed and suffered a 2-centimeter laceration, per the statement.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Here she is being woke in the name of destroying her enemies, most of whom the show has given us very little reason to root for.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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What if that once-in-a-lifetime work of investigative journalism, the one sure to bring glory upon the writer’s name, will also have dire consequences for someone who could otherwise do a lot of good?—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Sermon on the ‘Mount episode also represented, amid the resulting furor on the right, a canny announcement that the collected calumnies of creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are finally available on the Paramount Plus streaming service, after years licensed on Warner Bros.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
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That’s when his ugly-American calumny turned to blather.—
Armond White,
National Review,
28 May 2025
Noun
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In addition to initiating the censure process, the City Council called for a special meeting, with Barbadillo, Lam and Chua in favor.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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In doing so, the palace must weigh distancing itself from Andrew with ensuring the blowback from any further censure does not do even more damage to an institution that requires public buy-in.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Adding further controversy to the case, in 2024, Pras’ lawyer David Kenner pleaded guilty to criminal contempt of court for leaking confidential grand jury materials to Bloomberg News.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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While support for the president and contempt for the left has united conservative media for years, Gaza has been driving a wedge between two of the right’s biggest names.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aspersion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspersion. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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