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 barrister said it was "published without a single journalist ever speaking to Mr Brand about it other than to protect their defamation risk... protect their right to reply after the programme had been made".
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
He lost again Saturday, as a federal judge dismissed his defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal—“with prejudice.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
The judge also said that France's statute of limitations would apply in the case: normally three months in defamation cases, with a possible extension of up to one year in special cases.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
He sued Wood and another woman for defamation, accusing them of impersonating FBI agents and forging federal documents.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Perhaps both of them would sue him, Abelman for character defamation and Lew for forgery.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
