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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vilification
This leads into how President-elect Trump should not stoop to pettiness, vilification, or revenge.
—
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 19 Nov. 2024
There is a logic to Donald Trump’s dangerous pattern of false vilification which was forecasted in Eric Hoffer’s The True Believer, which revealed the effectiveness of division to fuel mass movements over history.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Next, the pop star, 25, opened up about how incorporating her sexuality into her work has resulted in some of the vilification that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera have experienced over the years.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024
What does not help, in any way, is the vilification of people who do not have children.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for vilification 
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 19 Nov. 2024
There is a logic to Donald Trump’s dangerous pattern of false vilification which was forecasted in Eric Hoffer’s The True Believer, which revealed the effectiveness of division to fuel mass movements over history.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Next, the pop star, 25, opened up about how incorporating her sexuality into her work has resulted in some of the vilification that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera have experienced over the years.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024
What does not help, in any way, is the vilification of people who do not have children.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for vilification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vilification
Noun
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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are reportedly seeking to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit against them.—
Meredith Nardino,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2025
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In the weeks before his inauguration, ABC agreed to donate $15 million to Trump’s future presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit against the network.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Jane the Virgin alum also sued The New York Times for libel, false light invasion of privacy and more on Dec. 31 over an article about her complaints against him.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
21 Jan. 2025
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Rather than defend statements that George Stephanopoulos made about Trump last spring, ABC News last month agreed to make the former president's libel lawsuit go away by paying him $15 million toward his presidential library.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But the transportation secretary on Sunday also repeatedly echoed Trump and his top allies' criticism of DEI efforts in the immediate aftermath of the DC-area collision.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA TODAY,
2 Feb. 2025
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The reality smash hit has come in for a lot of criticism of late, with season seven particularly causing a great deal of passionate debate online.—
Abid Rahman,
The Hollywood Reporter,
1 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near vilification
Cite this Entry
“Vilification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vilification. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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