character assassination

noun

Definition of character assassinationnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 This pattern of postmortem character assassination functions as a foundational tactic of modern autocracy. — Kyle Varner, Washington Post, 2 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 See All Example Sentences for character assassination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for character assassination
  1. defamation
  2. libel
  3. criticism
  4. abuse
  5. censure
  6. smearing
Noun
  • Exasperated, the Justice Department filed a formal discrimination suit, whereupon Cohn countersued the government for defamation, seeking a hundred million dollars in damages.
    — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Miller, who is running for reelection, has denied the allegations and has sued his ex-wife for defamation.
    — Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of defamation
Noun
  • In response, Baldoni — and nine other plaintiffs, including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel — sued the newspaper for libel and false light invasion of privacy, among other claims, over the article, and sought $250 million in damages.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
  • Wayfarer has since pushed back against Lively's request for $8 million in legal fees over Wayfarer's libel suit.
    — KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Definition of libel
Noun
  • The company has continued to push back on criticism by offering law enforcement advice on how to counter public pressure at city council meetings, noted Torin Monahan, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The European Court of Human ​Rights ruled in 2014 that Hungary had sacked Baka for criticism ​of the ⁠government and that his removal did damage to democratic freedoms in Hungary.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of criticism
Noun
  • The Indian government last month issued a stern warning to Instagram to remove child abuse ads on its platform that followed a warning to WhatsApp over the rollout of a username feature.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In recent years, Orbit spoke candidly about overcoming substance abuse and a psychotic episode that interrupted his career before returning to music.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of abuse
Noun
  • The Ethics Committee investigated the claims before recommending on Monday that the full House censure Edwards.
    — Jeff Ballou, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The House is currently on recess, so the censure itself would not take place until at least September.
    — Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of censure
Noun
  • So far, several celebrities have been tied to the smearing.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of smearing

Browse Nearby Words

character
character assassination
charactered
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Cite this Entry

“Character assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/character%20assassination. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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