maligning 1 of 3

noun

Definition of maligningnext
as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation public maligning of a person can actually be grounds for a lawsuit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

maligning

2 of 3

adjective

as in insulting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

maligning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of malign
as in smearing
to make untrue and harmful statements about a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for maligning
  1. defamation
  2. insulting
  3. libel
  4. disparaging
  5. degrading
  6. demeaning
  7. discrediting
  8. libelous
Noun
  • Thursday Rudy Giuliani is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Washington, DC, on a motion to hold him in contempt related to a defamation lawsuit filed by two Georgia election workers.
    Andrew Torgan, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
  • Nelson brought and settled two defamation lawsuits over Eminem's statements about her in magazines and on radio talk shows.
    CBS News, CBS News, 4 Dec. 2024
Definition of defamation
Adjective
  • Arizona State football fans slam 'truly insulting' College Football Playoff graphic Winter swoon: December has not been kind to Phoenix Suns in recent years The vehicle backed out of the driveway and into the road.
    Olivia Rose, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The dawning of his second term has invoked jubilation from those who welcome Trump back to the Oval Office and fear from those alarmed by his insulting rhetoric about political opponents, the media, migrants and others.
    Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2024
Definition of insulting
Noun
  • The series’s portrait of John, now a remarried grandfather, bears no trace of the litigious figure who hired Trump attorney L. Lin Wood early on to sue media outlets for libel.
    Alessa Dominguez, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024
  • In September 2022, PEOPLE reported that the star was dating another of his lawyers, Joelle Rich, who represented him in his 2020 U.K. libel suit against British tabloid The Sun.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Definition of libel
Adjective
  • The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.
    Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Prior to appearing on Cunningham's show on Monday, Huggins made more disparaging remarks about Xavier.
    Emily DeLetter, The Enquirer, 10 May 2023
Definition of disparaging
Adjective
  • More than 2 million people in the U.S. lack indoor plumbing and more live with failing sewage systems that can result in waste backing up into homes or pooling on the ground, threatening public health and degrading basic dignity, the EPA said.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2024
  • Read: ‘Shallow Hal’ and the never-ending fat joke Among Lost’s most degrading tropes was Hurley’s obsession with junk food.
    Rebecca Bodenheimer, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of degrading
Adjective
  • Even by his already demeaning standards, Trump's rallies and events have also taken a dark turn this fall.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Oz winces when Al throws him a big old necklace from the family jewel case; the gesture is completely demeaning.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of demeaning
Verb
  • Many of the conspiracy theories have prompted FEMA to create a page on its site discrediting rumors and false information about its response to Hurricane Helene.
    Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2024
  • Still, the United States didn’t recognize Haiti as a nation until 1862, during the Civil War, when American leadership was looking for any support in discrediting slavery.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Definition of discrediting
Adjective
  • Any accusation that Israel's objective was to starve innocent civilians—rather than to compel the surrender of Hamas combatants—is not merely unfounded but a libelous distortion of the truth.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
  • Newspapers also worried about potentially libelous posts.
    Mike Savino, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2024
Definition of libelous
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 maligning

maligned

maligning

malignity

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Cite this Entry

“Maligning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maligning. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on maligning

Nglish: Translation of maligning for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of maligning for Arabic Speakers

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