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
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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
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2025
Meghan Markle has been given a key court date for the libel lawsuit her half sister filed accusing her of a smear campaign.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for libel
Noun
Lipstadt became famous—and was later portrayed onscreen by Rachel Weisz—for winning a judgment in a British court against the Holocaust denier David Irving, who had sued her for libel.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2025
Meghan Markle has been given a key court date for the libel lawsuit her half sister filed accusing her of a smear campaign.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
Luckily for anyone still Christmas shopping, however, the court has continued pressing Giuliani for his assets, which are expected to be sold at auction to pay for a portion of the damages owed to the plaintiffs, whom Giuliani libelled with false claims of election malfeasance.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for libel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for libel
Noun
-
After the 2020 election, Fox took her off the air because her promotion of the false contention Dominion voting machines rigged the election against Trump became part of its $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox. Pirro and Martin are not the only dubious department appointees.—
Carl Leubsdorf,
Mercury News,
16 May 2025
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Baldoni, 41, denied the claims, filing a $400 million countersuit of his own, accusing Lively and others of defamation and extortion.—
Jen Juneau,
People.com,
15 May 2025
Verb
-
Avoid insecticides, greasy oils, or petroleum jelly smeared near the feeder that can coat hummingbird feathers.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
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Though the moment is smeared in dramatic score, a dull clanging pierces through; the EMTs can’t get the gurney wheels to glide out of the doorway.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Reed went on to report a series of grievances against the Griffin teachers union and said she’s been slandered and disrespected by the community.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2025
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Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As the smiling Red Bull players mingled on the pitch after the win, the Galaxy’s players looked genuinely disgraced amid Vanney’s sharp stares.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
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He’s repeatedly disgraced the city and his constituents.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
Verb
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In June 2022, a seven-person jury reached a verdict in the trial, deciding that Heard had defamed Depp in her 2018 op-ed.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
13 May 2025
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The pipeline company, Energy Transfer, argued in court that Greenpeace defamed the company and orchestrated criminal behavior by protestors.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The attempts to discredit women like Ventura discount the reality of their lives, Gee said.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
13 May 2025
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But in a possible attempt to discredit Pryor, her name and some details of her confidential complaint, available only to the mayor, commissioners and senior city employees, have been circulated publicly.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libel. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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