defamation

noun

def·​a·​ma·​tion ˌde-fə-ˈmā-shən 

law

: the act of communicating false statements about a person that injure the reputation of that person : the act of defaming another : calumny

defamation of character

a defamation lawsuit

defamatory

di-ˈfa-mə-tȯr-ē 

dē-

adjective

Did you know?

Harming someone's reputation in speech with falsehoods is known as slander, and doing the same thing in writing is known as libel (which sometimes includes speech as well). Any ordinary citizen who can claim to have suffered harm as a result of such defamation may sue. So why aren't politicians suing all the time? Because an exception is made for "public persons" (a category that includes most other celebrities as well), who must also prove that any such statement was made with "reckless disregard for the truth". And although, even by that standard, public persons are defamed all the time, most of them have decided that it's better to just grin and bear it.

Synonyms

• aspersing
• blackening
• calumniation
• calumny
• character assassination
• defaming
• libel
• libeling
• libelling
• maligning
• slander
• smearing
• traducing
• vilification
• vilifying

Examples of defamation in a Sentence

The article was full of lies and defamations.

accused the newspaper columnist of defamation of character

Recent Examples on the Web

At a defamation trial in Washington D.C, Giuliani was unable to back up the claim and a jury awarded Freeman and Moss $148 million. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025

The ex-Trump attorney will have a second hearing over whether he should be held in civil contempt January 10 in Washington, D.C., as part of Freeman’s and Moss’ original defamation case against Giuliani. —Alison Durkee, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

What’s more, CNN this week goes on trial in a defamation suit that has a plaintiff seeking $1 billion after a 2021 report on the network questioned the activities of a security consultant aiding people who wanted to escape Afghanistan. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Jan. 2025

In 2017, Ratner sued a woman who’d accused him of rape for defamation. —Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see defame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing defamation

• anti-defamation

Legal Definition

defamation

noun

de·​fa·​ma·​tion ˌde-fə-ˈmā-shən 

1

: communication to third parties of false statements about a person that injure the reputation of or deter others from associating with that person see also libel, slander, New York Times Co. v. Sullivan compare disparagement, false light, slander of title

2

: a defamatory communication

every repetition of the defamation is a publication

—W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton