as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the governor's office issued a statement accusing the state's largest newspaper of libel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to smear
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of libel
Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
While Trump appeals three rulings—from a fraud case and two libel suits—interest continues to accrue at about $4 million per month.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 26 July 2021
The real industry is the network of academics, lawyers, activists, and funders who libel and slander critics of Islamism, even those who cautiously stipulate between Islam and Islamism.
—A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 26 July 2021
See all Example Sentences for libel 
Noun
Despite Jake threatening to sue Paradise for libel, neither party has taken the other to court.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
While Trump appeals three rulings—from a fraud case and two libel suits—interest continues to accrue at about $4 million per month.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Verb
Its self-righteous blinders have led it to reflexively libel even accomplished scholars.
—A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 26 July 2021
The real industry is the network of academics, lawyers, activists, and funders who libel and slander critics of Islamism, even those who cautiously stipulate between Islam and Islamism.
—A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 26 July 2021
See all Example Sentences for libel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for libel
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 campaign season featured accusations of misinformation, including a defamation lawsuit, out-of-state money, and continued the state's trend of increasingly expensive election cycles.Cy Neff, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Lila’s makeup is smeared all over her face; the windows of the apartment are wide open, the wind rattling the empty rooms.Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
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Rubbing will smear the mud and cause a bigger problem.Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Aside from slandering some of the hard-working staff members at federal statistics agencies, such assertions ignore the fact that independent, private estimates also show strong job growth and low inflation.Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2024
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The reading of history damps down the impulse to slander the trend and tenor of the times, instills a sense of humor, lessens our fear of what might happen tomorrow.Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 19 Aug. 2024
Verb
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The event was a veritable who’s who of the right-wing election denial movement, including former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, pillow salesman Mike Lindell, and the de facto leader of the movement, disgraced former national security adviser Michael Flynn.David Gilbert, WIRED, 24 Oct. 2024
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He was then recruited by the controversial and now disgraced Mohammed Al-Fayed, who owned Harrods in London at the time, to work at that store for four years, helping to improve its marketing, store displays and windows.Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Someone else asked if the Mercedes was the same one he had been ordered to turn over to the Georgia election officials he had been found guilty of defaming.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
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Rudy Giuliani owes two Georgia poll workers $148 million for defaming them.Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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But on Monday, defense attorney Andrew Baldwin sought to discredit Weber by pointing out inconsistencies in his statements to police.Ron Wilkins, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Nov. 2024
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Trump has spent much of his final week on the campaign trail baselessly trying to discredit the legitimacy of this year’s election.Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near libel
Cite this Entry
“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libel. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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