defame

verb

di-ˈfām How to pronounce defame (audio)
Definition of defamenext
1
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about of course I want to win the election, but I refuse to defame my opponent in order to do so

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to accuse
archaic to make a claim of wrongdoing against so the harmless old woman was defamed of witchcraft

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb defame differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of defame are asperse, calumniate, malign, slander, traduce, and vilify. While all these words mean "to injure by speaking ill of," defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.

sued them for defaming her reputation

When could asperse be used to replace defame?

In some situations, the words asperse and defame are roughly equivalent. However, asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.

both candidates aspersed the other's motives

When is it sensible to use calumniate instead of defame?

While the synonyms calumniate and defame are close in meaning, calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.

falsely calumniated as a traitor

Where would malign be a reasonable alternative to defame?

Although the words malign and defame have much in common, malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.

the most maligned monarch in British history

In what contexts can slander take the place of defame?

The meanings of slander and defame largely overlap; however, slander stresses the suffering of the victim.

town gossips slandered their good name

When can traduce be used instead of defame?

The words traduce and defame are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.

so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

When would vilify be a good substitute for defame?

The words vilify and defame can be used in similar contexts, but vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.

no criminal was more vilified in the press

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of defame Trump claims the Wall Street Journal and its journalists defamed him and has filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. —Brent Lang, Variety, 18 July 2025 Heard partially won a countersuit, with the jury finding that Depp's lawyer defamed her. —Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 10 July 2025 The president was also found liable for defaming Carroll over her allegations. —Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 The jury did not find that MyPillow defamed Coomer. —ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for defame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defame
  1. libel
  2. accuse
  3. smear
  4. indict
  5. humiliate
  6. discredit
Verb
  • In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.
    — George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of libel
Verb
  • Thailand and Cambodia have each accused the other of firing the first shots, Bangkok saying hostilities began with Cambodia's military deploying drones to conduct surveillance of Thai troops near the border.
    — Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
  • The actor, along with an assistant director, were accused of raping an extra on the set of 2004's Hustle & Flow, but charges against them were later dropped, according to Variety.
    — Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 26 July 2025
Definition of accuse
Verb
  • The response of the Zelensky Administration to smear anti-corruption probes as Russian propaganda is misguided and self-defeating, as many within Ukraine point out.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 24 July 2025
  • My hands smeared in gore, eyes alight with frenzied ecstasy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Definition of smear
Verb
  • Two men have been indicted in connection to a 2024 murder in Louisville's Russell neighborhood.
    — Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 July 2025
  • In July 2006, Epstein was indicted by a grand jury on a felony charge of soliciting prostitution.
    — Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Definition of indict
Verb
  • Coach Ruben Amorim publicly humiliated him before a loan move to Aston Villa for the final half of the campaign.
    — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
  • Caught in an undignified situation, humiliated by a hot, skinnier love interest, Jessica was the latest incarnation of the funny fat lady (who is never actually that fat, merely representative of the average American woman).
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 16 July 2025
Definition of humiliate
Verb
  • This is mainly an effort to discredit and demonize property taxes, which DeSantis wants to abolish or severely curtail in Florida.
    — Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 26 July 2025
  • Trump’s theory here, juiced by Gabbard, is that Obama used talk of Russian election interference to discredit Trump’s 2016 election win and hobble his first term in office.
    — Chris Brennan, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Definition of discredit

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defamatory
defame
defamed
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Cite this Entry

“Defame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defame. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of defame for Spanish Speakers

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