defamation
Americannoun
noun
Commonly Confused
See slander.
Etymology
Origin of defamation
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; replacing (by analogy with defame ) Middle English diffamacioun, from Medieval Latin diffāmātiōn- (stem of diffāmātiō ), equivalent to Latin diffāmāt(us) (past participle of diffāmāre; defame ) + -iōn- noun suffix ( see -ion)
Explanation
Defamation is a dirty trick against someone's reputation. If you were so furious at your friend that you spread a rumor that he was still wetting his bed, that would be defamation of your friend. The noun defamation describes something very mean and completely deliberate, essentially a false accusation against someone or an attack on a person's good reputation. The terms libel and slander — written or spoken lies about a person, group, or business — both fall under the category of defamation. Sometimes defamation is even a punishable crime, and in every instance it's unkind and malicious.
Vocabulary lists containing defamation
All About That Baseless: Bad-Faith Accusations
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"The Crucible," Vocabulary from the play
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Just Mercy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The case type is described as "Media and Communication -- Part 7 Claim -- Defamation -- libel and slander".
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Newyddion S4C has been told the letter was sent under the Defamation Act 2013 and the Representation of the People Act 1983.
From BBC • Oct. 3, 2025
Defamation, fraud, false light and forgery laws already address the potential of deceptive expression to cause real harm.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2024
Defamation law, too, can be used as a defense in cases where one’s identity has been used inappropriately, or some types of misinformation.
From Slate • Dec. 28, 2023
Defamation is becoming a necessary of life; insomuch, that a dish of tea in the morning or evening cannot be digested without this stimulant.
From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 4 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
