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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vilification
In an interview with Variety published this week, Smollett spoke of his public vilification.
—
Dan Heching, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for vilification
Dan Heching, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for vilification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilification
Noun
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The latter defendant has already stood trial alongside Rey in September 2024 on defamation charges brought by Brigitte Macron and her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
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Atkinson sued Noll for defamation but lost the suit.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Steve Coogan has settled a libel claim over 2022’s The Lost King after a university academic sued over his depiction in the film.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
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Just look at the amounts that news organizations are paying for libel insurance.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The 21-year-old wildlife conservationist and son of famed zookeeper and television personality Steve Irwin further elaborated just why Russell's constructive criticism means so much.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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Chmerkovskiy then also remarked on the public's criticisms about his DWTS tenure.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vilification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilification. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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