defamation
8 synonyms for defamation, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The act of damaging someone's reputation through false statements, spoken or written.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use defamation
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
defamation lawsuit
sue for defamation
defamation of character
Etymology
From Old French diffamacion, from Latin diffāmātiō, built on the same root as "defame."
Full origin of defamation →Frequently asked questions
What does “defamation” mean?
The word “defamation” means the act of damaging someone's reputation through false statements, spoken or written. In plain terms, saying or writing false things that harm someone's reputation.
How do you pronounce “defamation”?
“Defamation” is pronounced deh-fuh-MAY-shuhn (/ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “defamation” in a sentence?
Here is “defamation” used in a sentence: “The newspaper faced a defamation lawsuit over the false accusations.”
What part of speech is “defamation”?
“Defamation” is a noun.
Where does the word “defamation” come from?
The word “defamation” comes from Latin. From Old French diffamacion, from Latin diffāmātiō, built on the same root as "defame.".
Is “defamation” a common word?
“Defamation” is an uncommon word in modern English.
