character assassination

noun

1. a slandering attack, especially one intended to damage the reputation of a public or political figure.

character assassination

noun

1. the act of deliberately attempting to destroy a person's reputation by defamatory remarks

Word History and Origins

Origin of character assassination¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

It was a full-blooded attempt at character assassination, a branding of Rodgers as untrustful, a perpetrator of untruths, a spreader of falsehoods; divisive, misleading and unacceptable.

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When stories like this come out in the news, it can become a character assassination.

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Giunta said the release was part of “a highly coordinated year-long character assassination led by Gavin Wax and the New York City Young Republican Club,” though he acknowledged concerns about the content.

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But while Knox’s character assassination dominated the news, Americans didn’t hear much about Guede.

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“In contrast to the formalities of the Washington Football Team investigation, Defendants’ treatment of Gruden was a Soviet-style character assassination,” the lawsuit alleged.

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