1
as in libels
to make untrue and harmful statements about
of course I want to win the election, but I refuse to defame my opponent in order to do so
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accuses
archaic
to make a claim of wrongdoing against
so the harmless old woman was defamed of witchcraft
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defames
Verb
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The lawsuit accuses Facebook's parent company, Meta, of negligence and breach of contract after continuously deactiving his commercial account for unjust and improper reasons.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
6 Sep. 2025 -
The lawsuit accuses Webster of violating her federal constitutional rights through use of excessive force, cruel and unusual punishment and deprivation of due process by unlawfully detaining and sodomizing her.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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South Korea reportedly indicts its former prime minister.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And Sacks, a PayPal Mafia member and veteran Silicon Valley investor, is just the sort of titan of industry this town routinely devours and humiliates — from Rex Tillerson to, well, Elon Musk.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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And whether the Carolina Panthers are just stuck in an endless loop of embarrassment, one that alternately humiliates and enrages their fans.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defames. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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