as in smeared
to make untrue and harmful statements about
a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone
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Recent Examples of maligned
Hours before the game, the Senators were maligned for their lineup choices.
—
Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
However, by 2013, the King's multiple scandals had caught up with him, and he was maligned for his romantic affairs, financial misappropriation and an infamous elephant hunting trip to Africa.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Bats have long been maligned, associated with the likes of Dracula and other spooky fiends of the night.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
On Thursday, the president’s lawyers refiled a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, alleging its reporters have knowingly and maliciously maligned his achievements.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Thibodeau has been unfairly maligned for his hard-driving approach to the game.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
The Carolina Panthers’ much maligned 2023 draft class took another hit on Tuesday.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Kennedy's rhetoric on autism has been embraced by some corners of the autism community and maligned in others.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
In other past social media posts, Kirk maligned hate speech as a weapon that liberals used to punish conservatives for their free speech.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
However, by 2013, the King's multiple scandals had caught up with him, and he was maligned for his romantic affairs, financial misappropriation and an infamous elephant hunting trip to Africa.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Bats have long been maligned, associated with the likes of Dracula and other spooky fiends of the night.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
On Thursday, the president’s lawyers refiled a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, alleging its reporters have knowingly and maliciously maligned his achievements.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Thibodeau has been unfairly maligned for his hard-driving approach to the game.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
The Carolina Panthers’ much maligned 2023 draft class took another hit on Tuesday.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Kennedy's rhetoric on autism has been embraced by some corners of the autism community and maligned in others.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
In other past social media posts, Kirk maligned hate speech as a weapon that liberals used to punish conservatives for their free speech.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maligned
Verb
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Trudeau wrapped his other arm around Hadrien, who had smeared fake blood on the side of his face.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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For two hours, the inmate remained on the ground with blood smeared on his forehead and pooling on the ground near his head, according to prosecutors.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And so farewell, disgraced ex-State Police Sgt.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
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Set to shoot next year, the series follows Weaving as Alan Armstrong — a brilliant but disgraced lawyer who’s forced to represent a dog on death row, setting him on an unexpected path toward redemption and self-discovery.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Or not even just vilified, but made fun of.—
Gerrick Kennedy,
Rolling Stone,
20 Oct. 2025
-
And completely vilified and hunted.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The candidate looks appropriately humiliated to be shouted down by a group of peaceful citizens voicing reasonable opposition, but the stakes are low.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
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There was this huge peak between 2000 and about 2018 where there was a decentralized anti-Fascist movement that’s responsible for Richard Spencer going home, for Matthew Heimbach being humiliated.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Dearborn has often been slandered for simply coexisting peacefully, because the truth is, some people are uncomfortable, and frankly upset about seeing church steeples and mosque domes share the same skyline on roads.—
Niraj Warikoo,
Freep.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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Moreno calls accusations ‘slander’ In a statement provided to The Bee, Moreno denied the accusations and said she was being slandered.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Many fans have welcomed her to the two-time winners club, joining the likes of Tony Vlachos and Sandra Diaz-Twine, while others have discredited her triumph.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Palestinian Authority, long discredited in the West Bank, has been absent in Gaza.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The family also alleges that Morris, his wife, and Gateway staff members continually defamed them and lied about the circumstances of the abuse after Clemishire came forward last year.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Oct. 2025
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In a separate 2022 trial, which Depp ultimately won, both he and Heard were found to have defamed each other.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maligned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maligned. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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