1
as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the actor's lawyers charge that the tabloid engaged in a deliberate campaign of character assassination
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in libel
the use of personal attacks or insults in order to undermine an opponent
refused to resort to character assassination even if it meant losing his bid for governor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of character assassination
Liuzzo and Good suffered significant character assassination that their male partners-in-protest avoided.
—
Aniko Bodroghkozy, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2026
Cries of character assassination that the super smart Donnie would have to ask an AI algorithm for advice could be found all over Twitter.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2025
Fending off a character assassination?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Roberts brings a jolt of invigorating fury to one of the movie’s strongest scenes, in which the mentor rips into her mentee in public on a campus square with a fully detailed character assassination.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for character assassination
Aniko Bodroghkozy, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2026
Cries of character assassination that the super smart Donnie would have to ask an AI algorithm for advice could be found all over Twitter.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2025
Fending off a character assassination?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Roberts brings a jolt of invigorating fury to one of the movie’s strongest scenes, in which the mentor rips into her mentee in public on a campus square with a fully detailed character assassination.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for character assassination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for character assassination
Noun
-
Another jury in 2024 awarded Carroll an additional $83 million for defamation.—
Collin Binkley,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
-
That prompted Carroll to file a defamation suit.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Zenger was arrested and accused of seditious libel or content that challenged the authority of the state.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
-
The nation's highest court overturned a libel case against the newspaper, which had run an ad condemning police treatment of civil rights demonstrators in Montgomery, Alabama.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
Noun
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On the other side, De la Espriella has promised to fiercely crack down on criminal groups and build 10 megaprisons, following in a similar vein as El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, in his war on gangs, which has been beset by abuses, according to findings by human rights groups.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
Multiple charges of abuse there, including bribery.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Several Democrats joined with Republicans for the censure vote.—
Fin Daniel Gómez,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
-
Coggins said the official party complaint seemed to be the strongest venue available to condemn Polis’ actions, especially since a special legislative session — with the goal of a censure by the General Assembly — seemed out of reach.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Both players have been regular targets for fan criticism over their attitude this term.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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But that market has faced growing criticism for its dependence on mass production and cultural appropriation — and a portion of travelers are responding by spending their money differently.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
So far, several celebrities have been tied to the smearing.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
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Whereas the initial narrowband signal might have a strong power across just a few frequencies, the smearing spreads that power across more frequencies, reducing the strength of the signal.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Character assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/character%20assassination. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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