backbiting

noun

Definition of backbitingnext
as in slander

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbiting
  1. slander
  2. calumny
  3. defamation
  4. libel
  5. vilification
  6. aspersion
  7. detraction
Noun
  • Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander.
    Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2024
  • Libel typically refers to defamatory statements that are published or broadcast, whereas slander pertains to verbal defamatory statements.
    Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 27 Nov. 2024
Definition of slander
Noun
  • That brings us to the other calumnies Vance and Trump have directed at the Haitians in Springfield.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2024
  • Sifton and Stern conclude their book with a look at how even after the Nazis’ defeat, the Bonhoeffer and Dohnanyi families faced public and official calumny for being relatives of traitors.
    Peter Hoffmann, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2014
Definition of calumny
Noun
  • The contract re-upping comes after ABC News recently settled a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump for comments Stephanopoulos made on-air in March.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said Trump and his political allies have used consumer protection laws as a workaround when defamation lawsuits aren't as feasible.
    Elahe Izadi, arkansasonline.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of defamation
Noun
  • Williams sued the tabloid for libel and won damages as well as an apology.
    Shyla Watson, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Many referred to the Gooding vs. Swan libel case as the Littlehampton Letters.
    Rendy Jones, EW.com, 1 Aug. 2024
Definition of libel
Noun
  • This charge, no less than a modern-day blood libel, is just the latest attack in Amnesty's longstanding campaign of lawfare against and vilification of the State of Israel, having previously accused the Jewish state of the equally unfounded charge of apartheid.
    Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
  • This leads into how President-elect Trump should not stoop to pettiness, vilification, or revenge.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 19 Nov. 2024
Definition of vilification
Noun
  • Even as China’s coercive capabilities and threatening behavior have rightly focused U.S. attention on the risks to American interests, the absence of clear metrics for success leaves the door open for partisan aspersions of the Biden administration’s approach.
    Jessica Chen Weiss, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2024
  • Soon, politicians arrive at the local village to deliver empty sermons about compensation, but aspersions are cast on the dead man and his middle-aged son Ganesh (Nemchand), who are accused of concocting a suicide scheme for a quick payout.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024
Definition of aspersion
Noun
  • The main detraction with these was a less comfortable fit.
    Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2024
  • Many smart investors, among them, several of my colleagues, cannot warm up to these stocks because of such obvious detractions as the lack of new products, patent expirations, and price controls.
    Karen Firestone, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2024
Definition of detraction
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near backbiting

backbeats

backbiting

backbone

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Cite this Entry

“Backbiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbiting. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on backbiting

Nglish: Translation of backbiting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of backbiting for Arabic Speakers

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