smear campaign
- a campaign to tarnish the reputation of a public figure, especially by vilification or innuendo.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Idioms and Phrases with smear campaign
smear campaign
An attempt to ruin a reputation by slander or vilification, as in This press agent is well known for starting smear campaigns against her clients' major competitors. This phrase was first recorded in 1938 and uses smear in the sense of “an attempt to discredit” or “slander.”
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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