as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the governor's office issued a statement accusing the state's largest newspaper of libel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to smear
to make untrue and harmful statements about
the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of libel
April Rubin, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025
In the following years, the government targeted Rappler and Ms. Ressa with nearly two dozen legal cases, including charges of tax evasion and a case of cyber libel for which she was convicted in 2020.
—Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2025
George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025
Wright got so big on social media even Piers Morgan invited her to libel Jay Z and Beyonce on his platform.
—Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for libel
Noun
Catch up quick: Casino mogul and President Trump donor Steve Wynn, in a libel lawsuit against the Associated Press, sought to challenge the bedrock case law that has protected journalists from libel lawsuits for decades.
—April Rubin, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025
In the following years, the government targeted Rappler and Ms. Ressa with nearly two dozen legal cases, including charges of tax evasion and a case of cyber libel for which she was convicted in 2020.
—Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.
—George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025
Wright got so big on social media even Piers Morgan invited her to libel Jay Z and Beyonce on his platform.
—Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for libel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for libel
Noun
-
In a separate move Wednesday, Trump also took action against the law firm Susman Godfrey, which represented Dominion Voting Systems in its high-profile defamation lawsuit against Fox News.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Federal courts apply state law to defamation cases.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Timothy Martin smeared red and black paint on a case shielding a nearly 150-year-old sculpture by Edgar Degas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
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Martin and a companion on April 27, 2023, entered the Washington, DC, museum and smeared washable red and black paint on the case protecting Edgar Degas’s 1881 Little Dancer Aged Fourteen in an effort to bring attention to the climate crisis.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
He was chucked into prison for slandering a member of the royal family.—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Apr. 2025
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We Americans get slandered around the world as a bunch of fat, lazy, selfish slobs.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The allegations echoed the earlier influence-peddling scandal surrounding disgraced former President Park Geun-hye, which led to nationwide protests in 2017 and the impeachment of South Korea’s first female President.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
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Some former generals involved in martial law decades ago had ended up in prison and been publicly disgraced.—
Choe Sang-Hun,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Thailand has one of the world's harshest lese majeste laws, setting jail terms of up to 15 years for anyone convicted of defaming, insulting or threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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Kim was eventually dropped from the defamation suit, before a jury found the family not guilty of defaming Chyna in May 2022.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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His tariffs were not based on the import taxes charged by other countries but by the size of each trade deficit, a calculation that instantly discredited the policy with many economists and investors.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
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Bolsonaro’s efforts to discredit the election had already found allies abroad.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libel. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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