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character assassination
noun
: the slandering of a person usually with the intention of destroying public confidence in that person
Synonyms
Examples of character assassination in a Sentence
None of those rumors are true. She's been the victim of character assassination.
the actor's lawyers charge that the tabloid engaged in a deliberate campaign of character assassination
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement Television Lythgoe calls Abdul lawsuit ‘worst form of character assassination’ as another accuser surfaces
March 6, 2024
In January, Lythgoe denied Abdul’s allegations.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Rather than celebrating his years of service and often unrecognized achievements, he was met with a scathing, unprofessional news segment that was more character assassination than responsible journalism.
—Sachin Hansen, The Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2024
As the moon clashes with Mercury, competition can lead to character assassinations!
—USA TODAY, 10 Nov. 2024
At the same time, politicians talked while the top brass stole, and all Ivan was left with was mindless paperwork — and now character assassination.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for character assassination
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Word History
First Known Use
1822, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of character assassination was
in 1822
Dictionary Entries Near character assassination
Cite this Entry
“Character assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/character%20assassination. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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