slander

[ slan-der ]
See synonyms for: slanderslanderedslandersslanderer on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. defamation; calumny: The accusations are based on hearsay, rumor, or intentional slander, and remain undocumented and unproved.

  2. a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report: The writer is spewing a despicable slander against an 87-year-old man, and without a shred of proof.

  1. Law. defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc.: The plaintiff amended his complaint to add a count of slander arising from the statements made at the board meetings.: Compare libel (def. 1a).

verb (used with object)
  1. to utter slander against; defame: Both parties tried to concentrate on public policy issues in their campaigns, rather than slandering their political opponents.

verb (used without object)
  1. to utter or circulate slander: They could find no skeletons in my closet, so their only option was to lie and slander.

Origin of slander

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun s(c)laundre, from Anglo-French esclaundre, Old French esclandre, alteration of escandle, from Late Latin scandalum “cause of offense, snare” (see scandal); Middle English verb s(c)laundren “to cause to lapse morally, bring to disgrace, discredit, defame,” from Anglo-French esclaund(e)rer, from Old French esc(l)andrer, esc(l)andir, derivative of esclandre

confusables note For slander

Defamation (and the less common calumny ) are general terms for untrue statements that attack or injure someone’s reputation. Slander and libel, while they are both used generally, are legally more specific: slander is spoken, while libel is written, broadcast, or published. If a statement is true, or is an opinion not stated as a fact, it cannot be considered defamation, and therefore cannot be prosecuted as slander or libel.

Other words for slander

Other words from slander

  • slan·der·er, noun
  • slan·der·ing·ly, adverb
  • slan·der·ous, adjective
  • out·slan·der, verb (used with object)
  • re·slan·der, verb (used with object)
  • un·slan·dered, adjective

Words that may be confused with slander

Words Nearby slander

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use slander in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for slander

slander

/ (ˈslɑːndə) /


noun
  1. law

    • defamation in some transient form, as by spoken words, gestures, etc

    • a slanderous statement, etc

  2. any false or defamatory words spoken about a person; calumny

verb
  1. to utter or circulate slander (about)

Origin of slander

1
C13: via Anglo-French from Old French escandle, from Late Latin scandalum a cause of offence; see scandal

Derived forms of slander

  • slanderer, noun
  • slanderous, adjective
  • slanderously, adverb
  • slanderousness, 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