defameverb [ T ]
uk/dɪˈfeɪm/us/dɪˈfeɪm/formalto damage the reputation of a person or group by saying or writing bad things about them that are not true:
Mr Turnock claimed the editorial had defamed him.
Compare
libel
slander noun
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Damaging reputation
- besmirch
- black mark
- blacken
- blot
- blot your copybook idiom
- calumniate
- drag sb's name through the mire/mud idiom
- give a dog a bad name idiom
- hurl/throw/sling mud at sb idiom
- impugn
- libel
- mud
- poison
- show someone in a bad light idiom
- slander
- stab
- stain
- sully
- taint
- vilify
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defamation
noun [ U ] uk/ˌdef.əˈmeɪ.ʃən/us/ˌdef.əˈmeɪ.ʃən/
He is suing for defamation of character.
defamatory
adjective uk/dɪˈfæm.ə.tər.i/us/dɪˈfæm.ə.tɔːr.i/
He claims the remarks were highly defamatory.