defame

verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām 

dē-

defamed; defaming

transitive verb

1

law : to harm the reputation of by communicating false statements about : to harm the reputation of by libel (see libel entry 1 sense 2a) or slander (see slander entry 2 sense 2)

defamed her character

2

archaic : accuse

defamed of witchcraft

3

archaic : disgrace

defamer noun

Synonyms

• asperse
• blacken
• calumniate
• libel
• malign
• slander
• smear
• traduce
• vilify

Choose the Right Synonym for defame

malign, traduce, asperse, vilify, calumniate, defame, slander mean to injure by speaking ill of.

malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.

the most maligned monarch in British history

traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.

so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.

both candidates aspersed the other's motives

vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.

no criminal was more vilified in the press

calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.

falsely calumniated as a traitor

defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.

sued them for defaming her reputation

slander stresses the suffering of the victim.

town gossips slandered their good name

Examples of defame in a Sentence

He says he was defamed by reports that falsely identified him as a former gangster.

of course I want to win the election, but I refuse to defame my opponent in order to do so

Recent Examples on the Web

Last week, Freeman and Moss asked the Washington, D.C., judge who presided over their defamation trial to hold Giuliani in contempt for continuing to defame them in a pending request. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024

Lake still faces proceedings in Maricopa County Superior Court for defaming the county’s Recorder, Stephen Richer, over his administration of the 2022 elections. —Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 11 Nov. 2024

Giuliani, who served as Trump’s personal attorney, was found liable last year for defaming two Georgia poll workers by repeating Trump’s lie accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election. —Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024

In 2022, Jones was found liable for defaming victims of the Sandy Hook shooting, and was ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion in damages to the victims’ families. —Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 23 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French deffamer, diffamer, from Medieval Latin defamare, alteration of Latin diffamare, from dis- + fama reputation, fame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

defame

verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām 

defamed; defaming

: to injure or destroy the reputation of : speak evil of : libel

defamation

ˌdef-ə-ˈmā-shən

noun

defamatory

di-ˈfam-ə-ˌtōr-ē

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

defamer noun

Legal Definition

defame

transitive verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām 

defamed; defaming

: to make the subject of defamation

defamer noun

Etymology

Medieval Latin defamare, alteration of Latin diffamare to spread news of, defame, from dis-, prefix marking dispersal or removal + fama reputation