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
Individual users can be held liable for their own behavior— as in the case of defamation.
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Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
His bid to overturn a 2020 defamation ruling related to that election was rejected Wednesday by a federal judge who also questioned his legal team’s practices, according to MS NOW.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Due to concerns about victims’ privacy and potential defamation lawsuits, many institutions don’t share the results of investigations publicly even after they’re completed.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2026
Her leadership has shaped the firm into a powerhouse, with a litigation team of more than 60 attorneys delivering market-leading successes across complex commercial and business, intellectual property, employment and defamation disputes, among others.
—William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defamation
Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
His bid to overturn a 2020 defamation ruling related to that election was rejected Wednesday by a federal judge who also questioned his legal team’s practices, according to MS NOW.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Due to concerns about victims’ privacy and potential defamation lawsuits, many institutions don’t share the results of investigations publicly even after they’re completed.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2026
Her leadership has shaped the firm into a powerhouse, with a litigation team of more than 60 attorneys delivering market-leading successes across complex commercial and business, intellectual property, employment and defamation disputes, among others.
—William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defamation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defamation
libel
Noun
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And there was a huge libel action against him that was taken out by a very brave writer called Deborah Lipstadt, who won against him.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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In September 2024, Newsmax paid $40 million to settle another libel lawsuit with Smartmatic, another voting machine company, over claims that Smartmatic helped rig the 2020 election.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defamation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defamation. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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