as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the governor's office issued a statement accusing the state's largest newspaper of libel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to smear
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of libel
Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
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
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
Wright got so big on social media even Piers Morgan invited her to libel Jay Z and Beyonce on his platform.
—Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for libel
Noun
That accusation — known as the blood libel — has been passed around for almost a thousand years.
—Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
Please ask your daughter to stop libeling Miss Manners.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
Wright got so big on social media even Piers Morgan invited her to libel Jay Z and Beyonce on his platform.
—Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for libel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for libel
Noun
-
The Robinsons have denied the allegations and counter-sued the women for defamation and elder abuse.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The group has faced multiple defamation lawsuits from those who were fired; only one has been elevated to federal court.—
Mikayla Price,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Traynere said after the hearing the issues were all about politics and an attempt to smear her.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term featured record numbers of disappearances and homicides, complained that political adversaries were exaggerating the problem to smear his reputation and legacy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
-
People tried to murder him, incarcerate him, slander him.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
New Orleans has long been notorious for embracing such scoundrels, a reputation that isn’t exactly helped by the fact that, for many years, disgraced attorneys who lost their licenses in Louisiana and applied for readmission to the bar often got it.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
These brands have pulled sponsorship of Wireless Festival, which disgraced itself recently by scheduling Ye (formerly Kanye West) to headline.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Baldoni, 42, last year countersued, bringing claims against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging he’d been defamed and extorted and demanding an enormous $400 million in damages.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Pournouri had alleged that a Netflix documentary two years before the 2018 death of the DJ, whose real name is Tim Bergling, and two posthumously released books defamed him, violating a 2016 agreement that supposedly prevented Bergling from speaking about their partnership.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In Mexico the loss of territory discredited the country’s conservative government and left many of its citizens unsure of their country’s future as an independent state.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This negativism and teen-like outbursts consequently discredit and tarnish the reputation of our country.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libel. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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