1
as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the actor's lawyers charge that the tabloid engaged in a deliberate campaign of character assassination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in libel
the use of personal attacks or insults in order to undermine an opponent
refused to resort to character assassination even if it meant losing his bid for governor
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Recent Examples of character assassination
The weird character assassination of Sharon Carter?
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Nola Pfau, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2024
Daszak has come in for more than his share of character assassination.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
And, look, there's a reason why there's a lot of journalists at NBC News uncomfortable with this because many of our professional dealings with the RNC over the last six years have been met with gaslighting, have been met with character assassination.
—Nbc Universal, NBC News, 24 Mar. 2024
Trump excels also at character assassination, ridiculing his critics almost daily.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for character assassination 
Nola Pfau, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2024
Daszak has come in for more than his share of character assassination.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
And, look, there's a reason why there's a lot of journalists at NBC News uncomfortable with this because many of our professional dealings with the RNC over the last six years have been met with gaslighting, have been met with character assassination.
—Nbc Universal, NBC News, 24 Mar. 2024
Trump excels also at character assassination, ridiculing his critics almost daily.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for character assassination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for character assassination
Noun
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After a defamation lawsuit, the film’s publishers, Salem Media Group, retracted the film, removing it from its platforms, and said there wouldn't be any future distribution of the book.Dhruv Mehrotra, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
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The defamation lawsuit alleges that the newspaper did not verify the social media claims, which were false and designed to sway voters, the president’s father said in several statements.Reuters, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Rachel Weisz played you in Denial, the movie about your being sued for libel by a Holocaust denier.Karl Vick, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
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The initial libel case related to Robinson making false accusations against a Syrian schoolboy who was attacked in an incident shared widely on social media.Lauren Kent, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Critics warn of potential abuse and the possibility of a black market.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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Breslin ran on a platform focused on reducing violent crime and reducing incarceration for nonviolent offenders with substance abuse and mental health issues.Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In reality, Arthur Watkins, this conservative Republican senator from Utah, chaired the censure committee and then was destroyed for it.Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 13 June 2024
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In 2018, the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate also stalled the promotion of Neom as Crown Prince Mohammed faced global censure and scrutiny over the incident.Angela Yang, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024
Noun
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That criticism has sometimes veered toward threats against company executives and political figures.William Gavin, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
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It's repeatedly faced harsh criticism over its failure to curb child abuse on the platform.Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near character assassination
Cite this Entry
“Character assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/character%20assassination. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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