defame

verb

de·​fame di-ˈfām How to pronounce defame (audio)
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
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 In January, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her in 2019. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 The jury ruled in January that Trump had to pay $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages, which are meant to dissuade Trump from further defaming Carroll. Alison Durkee, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The full-scale invasion of Ukraine raised the stakes for public protest in Russia, introducing strict new criminal penalties for defaming the country’s military. Nathan Hodge, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 The facts of the case -- that Trump assaulted and defamed Carroll -- were established following a jury trial last year. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 26 Jan. 2024 In January, a jury ordered him to pay $83.3 million for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2024 In January, another federal jury found Trump liable for defaming Carroll. Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2024 And those 2023 legal bills came before Trump last week was ordered to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defaming her in 2019. Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2024 The jury will also decide if Trump should be hit with punitive damages to deter him from continuing to defame Carroll. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of defame was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near defame

Cite this Entry

“Defame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defame. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

defame

verb
de·​fame di-ˈfām How to pronounce defame (audio)
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 How to pronounce defame (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on defame

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