Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- v. To damage the reputation, character, or good name of by slander or libel. See Synonyms at malign.
- v. Archaic To disgrace.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- To slander or calumniate, as by uttering or publishing maliciously something which tends to injure the reputation or interests of; speak evil of; dishonor by false reports.
- To charge; accuse; especially, to accuse falsely.
- To degrade; bring into disrepute; make infamous.
- Synonyms Calumniate, Slander, etc. See asperse.
- n. Infamy; disgrace.
Wiktionary
- v. to try to diminish the reputation of.
- v. to publish a libel about.
GNU Webster's 1913
- v. To harm or destroy the good fame or reputation of; to disgrace; especially, to speak evil of maliciously; to dishonor by slanderous reports; to calumniate; to asperse.
- v. To render infamous; to bring into disrepute.
- v. To charge; to accuse.
- n. Dishonor.
WordNet 3.0
- v. charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
Etymologies
- Middle English defamen, from Old French defamer, from Medieval Latin dēfāmāre, alteration of Latin diffāmāre, to spread news of, slander : dis-, abroad, apart; see dis- + fāma, rumor, reputation; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“Can Ms. Moore "defame" Mrs. Palin through the medium of dance, for example?”
“Would the senator make it a crime to "defame" the flag?”
“Those restrictions included jail for journalists who "defame" the president, government or army.”
“They have gotten death threats when they act as private individuals and somehow "defame" Islam by challenging any cultural aspect of Islamic culture now being forced on the Netherlands or other Euro countries.”
“Interior minister Rehman Malik has described the kidnapping as an attempt to "defame”
“Upset over being branded as a child labour employer, India's apparel export body AEPC has sought access to key documents of the US Labour Department which were used to "defame" the”
“Why freedom of speech must include the right to "defame" religions”
“A powerful bloc of 57 Islamic states is again pushing for the UN to make it a criminal offense to criticise or 'defame' Islam.”
“First, I'm a bit confused: How exactly did Obama "defame" Christianity by claiming to be a Christian?”
“According to Shariah, it is impermissible to engage in speech or writings that 'defame' Islam or otherwise offend its followers.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘defame’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
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How Dare You!
The ways and means of insult
belaud, asteism, charientism, slander, libel, disparage, asperse, denigrate, defame, dis, mycterism, execrate and 2 more...
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Censure (v.)
Someone must have had an inferiority complex.
vituperate, vilify, trounce, traduce, slander, scold, revile, reprove, reprimand, reprehend, remonstrate, rebuke and 37 more...
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