defame
Americanverb (used with object)
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to attack the good name or reputation of, as by uttering or publishing maliciously or falsely anything injurious; slander or libel; calumniate.
The newspaper editorial defamed the politician.
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Archaic. to disgrace; bring dishonor upon.
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Archaic. to accuse.
verb
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to attack the good name or reputation of; slander; libel
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archaic to indict or accuse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have defamedperfect
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has defamedperfect 3rd person singular
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has been defamingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been defamingperfect progressive
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are defamingprogressive
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is defamingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am defamingprogressive 1st person singular
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defamessingular 3rd person
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defamingparticiple
Past
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had defamedperfect
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were defamingprogressive plural
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was defamingprogressive singular
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had been defamingperfect progressive
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defamedparticiple
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defamedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of defame
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defamen, from Anglo-French defamer or directly from Medieval Latin dēfāmāre, variant of Medieval Latin, Latin diffāmāre ( dē- de- for dif-; compare Latin dēfāmātus “infamous”) “to spread the news of, slander,” equivalent to dif- dif- + -fāmāre verbal derivative of fāma “news, rumor, slander” ( see fame); replacing Middle English diffamen, from Anglo-French, Old French diffamer or directly from Medieval Latin, Latin, as above
Explanation
Even though Joan Jett sang about not minding her bad reputation, most of us don't want others to defame us. To defame is to gossip, even if the story is made-up, with the goal of hurting someone's image. We usually think of fame as a positive thing. Love, admiration, and people wanting to be like you — it all comes with the territory. The de- in defame means "remove." So if someone tries to defame a person, fame — or a good reputation — is taken away. Celebrities protect themselves from those who want to defame them, arming themselves with lawyers.
Vocabulary lists containing defame
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)
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Intermediate, List 6
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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.
"It is important that nothing is said that would either potentially defame an individual, nor impinge upon the police investigation which is ongoing," stated the letter, signed by two senior members of the church.
From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025
The all-out legal brawl between Baldoni and Lively escalated when Baldoni sued The New York Times for defamation, claiming the paper had colluded with Lively to use text messages out of context to defame him.
From Salon • Jan. 17, 2025
It contends that county officials went out of their way to defame Baldwin and their pursuit of criminal charges deprived the actor-producer of his civil rights.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2025
Last year, she filed suit against the church, seeking to end what she said were the “mob-style tactics” it had used to harass and defame her.
From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2024
The films often had the opposite effect: Despite the mountains of evidence, many Hitler Youth told themselves that the films were exaggerated, if not invented by the Allies as propaganda intended to defame the Nazis.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
