defamatory

[dih-fam-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

adjective

1. containing defamation; injurious to reputation; slanderous or libelous.

   She claimed that the article in the magazine was defamatory.

defamatory

/ -trɪ, dɪˈfæmətərɪ /

adjective

1. injurious to someone's name or reputation

Other Word Forms

• defamatorily adverb
• nondefamatory adjective
• undefamatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of defamatory¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin diffāmātōrius, equivalent to Latin diffāmā(re) ( defame ) + -tōrious -tory ¹

Example Sentences

Prince has said similar statements made in a report by Sims published this year were "defamatory assertions made without evidence or court rulings".

Read more on Barron's

In a statement posted on X on Friday night, Sultana said that "a number of false and defamatory statements have been published about me concerning the launch of Your Party's membership portal".

Read more on BBC

The ban was not implemented at the time because of strong public opposition, but officials warned that the platform was increasingly being used to spread harmful content including extremist propaganda and defamatory material.

Read more on BBC

His lawyers argued that Beauty and the Bester was defamatory, but the streaming giant defended its plan to release the three-part investigation.

Read more on BBC

The comments cut from the “Face the Nation” appearance were potentially defamatory.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• derogatory 
• disparaging 
• injurious 
• insulting