smear campaign

American  

noun

1. a campaign to tarnish the reputation of a public figure, especially by vilification or innuendo.

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smear campaign Idioms  

1. 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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Example Sentences

“By the consistent dissemination of facts and evidence, we made sure that justice prevailed,” Freedman said, adding that his team has maintained from the beginning that there was no sexual harassment, retaliation or smear campaign.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Earlier this year, former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary defended the FDA’s decision to reject RP1 and personally backed Prasad, accusing the media of running a smear campaign against him.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

An online smear campaign last month engulfed another Southern California mosque.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

The problem with this smear campaign is that we have the receipts.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2026

Murky, speculative stuff, a smear campaign on a dead woman.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins