libeling 1 of 2

noun

variants or libelling
as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation the underhanded politician resorted to libeling when it became clear that that was the only way he was going to win the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

libeling

2 of 2

verb

variants or libelling
present participle of libel
as in smearing
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for libeling
  1. libel
  2. smearing
  3. defamation
  4. slandering
  5. defaming
  6. maligning
  7. disgracing
  8. vilifying
Noun
  • He was cleared of that, but then fell out with a friend who had helped concoct his alibi in the libel case, and was charged with perjury.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Paul Bettany opened up in a recent interview with The Times about the public’s misconception of his relationship with Johnny Depp after text messages between the two actors were used in court during Depp’s libel lawsuit against The Sun.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of libel
Verb
  • Yet what follows is an extended list of ethical sins, with a focus on the sins of abusive speech, such as slandering, slurring, slighting and smearing the reputations of others.
    — Reuven Kimelman, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • People have gone from smearing the compound on their faces to using injections, in hopes of achieving firmer, wrinkle-free skin and other anti-aging benefits.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of smearing
Noun
  • Continue reading … MISTAKEN IDENTITY — Maryland teenager seeks $20 million from CBS News in defamation lawsuit.
    — , FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, a former chief of Israel’s domestic security service has filed a defamation suit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and hospital officials in Gaza said an Israeli strike there killed one man.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of defamation
Verb
  • Yet what follows is an extended list of ethical sins, with a focus on the sins of abusive speech, such as slandering, slurring, slighting and smearing the reputations of others.
    — Reuven Kimelman, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Shocking lies Within hours, the administration was slandering her.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2026
Definition of slandering
Verb
  • Protecting a predator is not theology, and defaming his victim is not church doctrine.
    — Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Rebel Wilson was found not liable of defaming a young actress who played the starring role in her directorial debut, The Deb.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2026
Definition of defaming
Verb
  • Policymakers defend draconian cuts to Medicaid by maligning the work ethic or honesty of low-income women, despite substantial evidence to the contrary.
    — Jocelyn Frye, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026
  • Underneath it, the authors of the flyer listed a few dubious talking points maligning immigrants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of maligning
Verb
  • Social media users have critiqued her body both when with and without child and have accused her of disgracing the image of Black women.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • Why are adults so comfortable publicly disgracing Black teenage girls going to their prom and being cruel toward strangers who are sometimes half their age?
    — Essence, Essence, 11 May 2026
Definition of disgracing
Verb
  • The two have fought on the commissioners court dais and now are vilifying one another in their campaigns for the County Judge seat.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
  • One need look no further back in history than 20th-century Europe to see what can happen when populations and government officials begin vilifying the Jewish people.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of vilifying
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.

Browse Nearby Words

libelers
libeling
libelist
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Cite this Entry

“Libeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libeling. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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