as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
public maligning of a person can actually be grounds for a lawsuit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insulting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in libeling
to make untrue and harmful statements about
a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of maligning
Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Angel went for a respectful middle-of-the-road jab — complimenting her parenting and resilience, but maligning her for being petty.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2026
Such interactions are based on pillars of respect and consensus, and on not publicly maligning any party.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov. 2025
Defense attorneys have also decried violations of fair-trial rights, saying that the prosecutor in the cases has sought to influence the jury pool by maligning those charged.
—Lauren Carasik, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2017
Verb
Underneath it, the authors of the flyer listed a few dubious talking points maligning immigrants.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Angel went for a respectful middle-of-the-road jab — complimenting her parenting and resilience, but maligning her for being petty.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2026
Such interactions are based on pillars of respect and consensus, and on not publicly maligning any party.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov. 2025
Defense attorneys have also decried violations of fair-trial rights, saying that the prosecutor in the cases has sought to influence the jury pool by maligning those charged.
—Lauren Carasik, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maligning
Noun
-
Ashley failed to prove defamation, as there was no evidence Adam knowingly made false statements or that her reputation was harmed by the private complaint.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
-
Griffin filed a federal defamation lawsuit in Nevada on Monday, June 15, saying her middle school classmate Joleene Altum made false allegations against Griffin, according to documents obtained obtained by USA TODAY.—
Liza Esquibias,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
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What Florence has been doing is consistent and insulting.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Verb
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At the entrance of Kollparay, Quispe pauses, taking my hands and smearing them with soil—the soil of her village.—
Paola Miglio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 June 2026
-
This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Baldoni, who denied the allegations, filed a gargantuan defamation suit for $400 million against Lively and her camp, as well as a $250 million libel suit against The New York Times’ coverage of the claims.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
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Sabellico sued him for libel, arguing those comments were malicious and defamatory.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Felix points to Trump’s disparaging and false comments against Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, which put a target on the back of many Haitian immigrants.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
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While Trump’s talk of a possible NATO pullout dates back years, the comments to The Telegraph newspaper in the U.K., published Wednesday, were among the clearest and most disparaging yet — suggesting that the fracture has deepened perhaps to a point of no return.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shocking lies Within hours, the administration was slandering her.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
17 Jan. 2026
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And then the media was slandering our dad’s name and reputation after a lifetime of being a fairly wholesome guy.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
No one should be subject to listening to the most degrading and profane words that now seem popular with some people.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
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According to the company, the electronic attack variant is intended to provide non-kinetic effects on the battlefield by disrupting and degrading enemy sensors and reconnaissance networks.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Judge Salas told us vilifying judges is eroding trust in the courts.—
Heather Abbott,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
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This riveting two-part docuseries preceded the fictional take seen in The Girl From Plainville, taking an unprejudiced and empathetic approach when exploring the complex case, presenting all the facts without vilifying one individual.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maligning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maligning. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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