slander

American  

[slan-der] / ˈslæn dər /

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.

3. 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.

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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.

   Synonyms:

   revile, vilify, malign

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.

slander British  

/ ˈslɑːndə /

noun

1. law

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

   2. a slanderous statement, etc

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

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verb

1. to utter or circulate slander (about)

Usage

What's the difference between slander and libel?

Slander and libel and are both forms of defamation—the act of attacking someone’s character or reputation, especially by making false statements about them. The difference is that such statements are considered slander when they are simply spoken in the presence of other people, whereas they are considered libel when they are published or broadcast in some way, such as being written in an article, spoken on TV, or printed on a sign that’s posted in a public place.

Both words can also be used as verbs meaning to defame someone in such a way. In a legal context, slander and libel can both be considered crimes. For an action to be considered slander or libel, it must be proven to have done some damage to a person’s reputation. Slander is often much harder to prove because it involves simply saying something, whereas libel often involves a permanent record of the statement.

You can remember the difference by thinking about the first letter of each word: slander typically involves speaking, while libel typically involves a lasting document of what was said.

Here’s an example of slander and libel used correctly in a sentence.

Example: The court determined that the defendant’s statements constituted slander, but did not rise to the level of libel since they were not published or broadcast. 

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between slander and libel.

Commonly Confused

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 Word Forms

• outslander verb (used with object)
• reslander verb (used with object)
• slanderer noun
• slanderingly adverb
• slanderous adjective
• slanderously adverb
• slanderousness noun
• unslandered adjective

Etymology

Origin of slander

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” ( 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

Explanation

If your classmate spreads a false rumor that you cheated on the math test, that's slander. Slander is the act of saying an untrue, negative statement about someone. In law, the word slander is contrasted with libel, which is the act of making a false written statement about someone. The noun slander is from Old French esclandre, escandle, or "scandal," from Late Latin scandalum "stumbling block, offense."

Example Sentences

The case type is described as "Media and Communication -- Part 7 Claim -- Defamation -- libel and slander".

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

He has long said the allegations against him are part of a campaign of slander.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

The document was later ruled inadmissible at trial, but earlier this year, Italy’s highest court upheld Knox’s separate conviction for committing slander against Lumumba.

From Salon • Aug. 20, 2025

As accusations mounted, Do claimed he was the victim of slander, responding with defiant vitriol against the reporter who broke the story, Nick Gerda, and demanding his firing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

"But why slander me? I don't follow you, Brother Jack. I'm no enemy, as he well knows. I'm a brother too," I said, seeing his smile.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• belittle
• besmirch
• defame
• defile
• denigrate
• disparage
• libel
• malign
• scandalize
• smear
• sully
• tarnish
• vilify