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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During the defamation trial, relatives of victims described threats and harassment from Jones’s followers who believed the claims.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Ciattarelli denied the claim and vowed to file a defamation lawsuit, according to reports.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Harry has twice sued Associated Newspapers for libel, winning one case and withdrawing the other, while his wife Meghan has also won a privacy lawsuit against the publisher.—
Michael Holden,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
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The country also still lacks a freedom of information act, and libel remains a criminal offense.—
Ashish Valentine,
NPR,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Trump’s administration was right to send an emissary after ICE’s Hyundai raid to express regret and negotiate a new business visa process for South Koreans, despite criticism from the more anti-immigrant MAGA base.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
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Rimes has described experiencing cycles of praise and harsh criticism — both as a child star and during her affair with Cibrian.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vilification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilification. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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