defame

[ dih-feym ]

See synonyms for: defame defamed defaming on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),de·famed, de·fam·ing.

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.
Archaic. to disgrace; bring dishonor upon.

Archaic. to accuse.

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

Other words for defame

1	malign, disparage, discredit, vilify, derogate, revile, denigrate, backbite

See synonyms for defame on Thesaurus.com

Other words from defame

de·fam·er, noun
de·fam·ing·ly, adverb
un·de·famed, adjective
un·de·fam·ing, adjective

Words that may be confused with defame

defame , libel, slander

Words Nearby defame

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use defame in a sentence

She was knocked even further off-balance when the student who she says attacked her filed a lawsuit alleging that Axley had defamed him by recounting her story to others.
“The Liberty Way”: How Liberty University Discourages and Dismisses Students’ Reports of Sexual Assaults | by Hannah Dreyfus, photography by Sarah Blesener for ProPublica | October 24, 2021 | ProPublica
Aijaz Jakhrani criticised his political opponents for playing dirty tricks to defame him by posting obscene pictures and stories after hacking his Facebook page.
FIA cyber crime cell restores ‘hacked’ Facebook page of Sindh minister | noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) | September 21, 2021 | TechCrunch
Sullivan claimed he’d been defamed by false statements in an advertisement, published in the Times, accusing him of committing violence against civil rights activists.
A major Supreme Court First Amendment decision could be at risk | Samantha Barbas | July 13, 2021 | Washington Post
The fact that after this advice, Governor Cuomo instructed surrogates to attack and defame those who courageously came forward with their stories should not be lost on anyone.
Chris Cuomo Somehow Claims He ‘Knows Where the Line Is’ After Scandal Erupts | Justin Baragona | May 21, 2021 | The Daily Beast
The Constitution does not give publishers license to defame.
Fox News sued by Dominion in $1.6 billion defamation case that could set new guardrails for broadcasters | Elahe Izadi, Paul Farhi | March 26, 2021 | Washington Post

But this is often seen as little more than a way of trying to defame Edward III on the continent.
The Sex Life of King Richard III's Randy Great Great Great Grandfather | Tom Sykes | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Mr. Taniguchi allegedly continued to defame her to clients, intimidating them into dropping commercial deals with her.
Japan’s Miss International Takes on Mob-Backed Entertainment Complex | Jake Adelstein | December 18, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
You could see in his eyes that he knew the Army would defame him, but he knew he was in the right.
Pakistan’s Impossible Year: Elections, Army Intrigue, and More | Bruce Riedel | December 29, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
Sometimes she does it to defame them, other times to make it seem as if they shared her ideology.
How Palin Flunks Feminism | Michelle Goldberg | November 26, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
I hope to be able to teach you that it's one thing to defy a board of directors, and it's another to defame a respectable man.
Paul Gosslett's Confessions in Love, Law, and The Civil Service | Charles James Lever
They defame one another, and mutually treat each other as impostors and false teachers.
Good Sense | Paul Henri Thiry, Baron D'Holbach
Yessum, she said a absolute piece of po'try what I would not defame my lips by repeating to you.
Vacation with the Tucker Twins | Nell Speed
Their plan of life is to defame other people, and by this means proclaim their own superiority over other weak mortals.
Drake, Nelson and Napoleon | Walter Runciman
Oh, you are wrong to defame St. Jeans; it is badly kept but it well keeps its famous ones.
The Hero of the People | Alexandre Dumas

British Dictionary definitions for defame

defame

/ (dɪˈfeɪm) /

verb(tr)

to attack the good name or reputation of; slander; libel
archaic to indict or accuse

Origin of defame

C14: from Old French defamer, from Latin dēfāmāre, from diffāmāre to spread by unfavourable report, from fāma fame

Derived forms of defame

defamer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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