as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
warned that the constant vilification of candidates for public office was undermining the people's faith in the political system
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Recent Examples of vilification
One of Trump’s problems in his second term, though, is that this daily stream of vilification is, by now, a very familiar script.
—
Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 17 July 2025
Despite this national vilification, however, Wisconsin voters reelected La Follette in 1922.
—Time, 16 July 2025
The law declares the value of the families that LGBTQ people create at a time when the federal government has marked people who are not straight and cisgender as targets for vilification and exclusion.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
China’s vilification of Lai echoes Beijing’s denunciations, roughly two decades ago, of Chen Shui-bian, then president of Taiwan.
—Bonny Lin, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vilification
Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 17 July 2025
Despite this national vilification, however, Wisconsin voters reelected La Follette in 1922.
—Time, 16 July 2025
The law declares the value of the families that LGBTQ people create at a time when the federal government has marked people who are not straight and cisgender as targets for vilification and exclusion.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
China’s vilification of Lai echoes Beijing’s denunciations, roughly two decades ago, of Chen Shui-bian, then president of Taiwan.
—Bonny Lin, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vilification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilification
Noun
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Trump has also brought a $10 billion defamation suit against The Wall Street Journal for its article linking him to the Epstein note.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
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The defamation case has been delayed while the time for an appeal of the underlying claims runs its course.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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McQueen countersued him on several claims as well, including libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress and intentional interference with contractual or business relationships.—
Evan Mealins,
The Tennessean,
10 Sep. 2025
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Bellis later added $473 million in punitive damages, bringing the total libel judgment to $1,436,620,000—believed to be one of the largest in American history.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Among Democrats, criticism has grown louder as the war becomes deeply unpopular with the party base.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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But the Cowboys, who gave out big extensions to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, couldn't come to terms with him on a new deal, which led to Jones receiving plenty of criticism.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vilification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilification. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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