as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
accused the newspaper columnist of defamation of character
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Recent Examples of defamation
The music producer denied her claims and countersued, alleging defamation, and the parties settled the lawsuit in 2023.
—
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
In that case, Baldoni has also filed a countersuit alleging defamation and civil extortion.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
In a separate move Wednesday, Trump also took action against the law firm Susman Godfrey, which represented Dominion Voting Systems in its high-profile defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Federal courts apply state law to defamation cases.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defamation
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
In that case, Baldoni has also filed a countersuit alleging defamation and civil extortion.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
In a separate move Wednesday, Trump also took action against the law firm Susman Godfrey, which represented Dominion Voting Systems in its high-profile defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Federal courts apply state law to defamation cases.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defamation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defamation
Noun
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In February 2022, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff rejected Palin's claims in a ruling issued while a jury deliberated, saying Palin had failed to show that the Times had acted out of malice, something required in libel lawsuits involving public figures.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
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Lipstadt became famous—and was later portrayed onscreen by Rachel Weisz—for winning a judgment in a British court against the Holocaust denier David Irving, who had sued her for libel.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defamation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defamation. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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