libelous
adjective
li·bel·ous
ˈlī-b(ə-)ləs 
variants
or libellous
: constituting or including a libel : defamatory
a libelous statement
Examples of libelous in a Sentence
libelous statements about a celebrity for which the tabloid was sued
Recent Examples on the Web
Any accusation that Israel's objective was to starve innocent civilians—rather than to compel the surrender of Hamas combatants—is not merely unfounded but a libelous distortion of the truth.
—
Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Newspapers also worried about potentially libelous posts.
—Mike Savino, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2024
And finally, modern far-right terrorists still frequently invoke the same libelous assertion that white women must be protected from licentious Black men.
—TIME, 14 May 2024
The lawsuit alleges the principal and the district violated the California Education Code, which provides strong protections for student journalism and free speech with few exceptions, such as content that is obscene, libelous or slanderous.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for libelous 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Newspapers also worried about potentially libelous posts.
—Mike Savino, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2024
And finally, modern far-right terrorists still frequently invoke the same libelous assertion that white women must be protected from licentious Black men.
—TIME, 14 May 2024
The lawsuit alleges the principal and the district violated the California Education Code, which provides strong protections for student journalism and free speech with few exceptions, such as content that is obscene, libelous or slanderous.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for libelous
Dictionary Entries Near libelous
Cite this Entry
“Libelous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libelous. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
libelous
adjective
li·bel·ous
variants
also libellous
: constituting or including libel
a libelous magazine article
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share